Save My Soul
by Lacey E. Paradise
Summary: Bernie is new in town. Shes come from New York expecting things to suck, when she meets Marko. Will he be able to help her through her new hard times to come in Santa Carla?
1. Intro

Bernadette Brown, or Bernie as everyone calls me. I recently moved to Santa Carla. I'm a New York girl, Queens, Kew gardens. I'd give anything to

go back but that's hard to achieve when out of staters adopt you. It kind of really sucks that I have to wait until I'm eighteen to go back home!

Where the hell are all the cabs! Everyone here talks weird, and the boardwalk is no central park, but its ok. My street is called Valley Way. Valley

Way? What the hell is that!? Ill tell ya, 131st street is so much easier to write on an application at Path Mark Supermarket, which I have seen NONE

of! Being Irish, boy do I burn! How am I supposed to survive in this climate! One word…Pizza? Nope, they don't got it. I remember going just to

Connecticut and not being able to down the pizza! But, there are a few good things about Santa Carla, The freedom my new folks give me, and the

boys.

I went to the boardwalk my first night here, it really made me miss Manhattan, but then I heard it. I heard the roaring of motorcycles, a familiar

sound, everyone had one in the city. I laid my eyes on four of the most intriguing boys. One with Bleach blond hair, he wore all black, and looked like

a creepy son of a bitch! Another with long dark locks, he looked to be of Indian decent, he looked…mysterious. The third had this almost pretty boy

long blond hair. He wore tights and a black jacket, Ill be honest, he looked like a funny feller. Then, I laid my eyes on the last one. The most

intriguing of them all I'd say. He had these gorgeous blond curls, I had the strange urge to brush my hands through them. His eyes were piercing; I

just wanted to look at them all day! And his jacket! My god, it was crafty. It looked hand pieced, and hand sewed. It was the most colorful thing I'd

seen, and had the only color out of the four of them. They all got back on their bikes after looking into a tape store and drove away again. I got chills

after I looked for the last time that night into the fourth guy's eyes. What was his name? I didn't know, but I knew for sure I was seeing this kid

again.


	2. Feeling Darkness with a Close Stranger

I woke up for my second day in Santa Carla. Just as the day before, my new "parents" hadn't been home. I'll admit I was grateful. I got up and did my usual New York routing, brushed my teeth, get dressed, and had a cup of tea. My dad, the real one, always made his tea with a Lipton tea bag. Two or three dunks and it was out, a teaspoon of sugar, and a splash of skim milk, something I always did, too. People always found it peculiar. My whole routine worked out pretty well, only I didn't take the A train to the city and get an egg and cheese sandwich from Lou's Diner. That's always a downer. The best egg and cheese on a roll you'll ever have. Anyway, I decided to eat a bowl of cereal and just write a bit. I was born in Jamaica Hospital in Queens; my aunt Theresa bought me my first diary from the gift shop. She put a picture of me and my mom on the first page. This was my eleventh diary from that same gift shop, I keep them all. It had a back round color of cream with these wall paper pattern pale pink stripes and roses. I just loved it. I sat in my blinding white room that was in desperate need of a paint job and began to write.

Time must have gotten away from me because they nighttime was defiantly approaching fast. Still no sign of my "parents". I stood slowly and walked to the kitchen. I got a glass of water, downed it, and walked out the door. I was going to the boardwalk.

The lights were almost as hypnotizing as those of St. Marks Place. I walked around a bit, mostly noticing that all the people looked the same to me, over tanned beach bums with low IQ's and some serious annunciating issues. It made me smile, which was something I hadn't done in a while. As I got sucked into the hidden agenda's of the Santa Carla natives, I felt more like home, which I resented. I walked into this little comic book shop, why, I'll never know because I'm not the slightest bit interested in comic books. But the shop was quaint, and drew my eye. I noticed these two kids eyeing me as I picked up a superman comic thinking of my dad, man he was a "neo maxi zoom dweeby!" Judd Nelson always delivered when I went to the movies. I put it down when the boys approached me,

"More new meat, Alan." The more fashionable one said. I just smiled to myself. "More?" I asked, bursting bubbles. "People are flocking here like crazy" Alan said to me. "Nice to meet you guys, I'm Bernadette Brown, but you can call me Bernie." I said putting out my hand. "And you are?" I asked in a way only I could. The fashionable kid put his hand out and pulled it away fast, eyeing me funny, "Where are you from, Bernie?" I smirked at his suspicion, "New York." I said proudly. He smiled and took my hand. "I'm Edgar Frog, and this is my lesser half, Alan." Alan also shook my hand, he was sweating like crazy. I smiled but didn't say anything. "Frog?" I said with a smile. "Well maybe I'll see you guys around." I smiled politely and started to walk out when I felt something hit my back. I turned around to see a baby blue comic book hit the ground; I bent to pick it up. _Vampires Everywhere, _What the hell?! "It's on us. Watch out for the vamps." Edgar yelled. Holy crap! He was serious, and I liked that. I laughed out loud and nodded. "Thanks, see you around guys." I was intent on keeping that promise, these guys were so cool!

I heard a familiar sound as I walked out of the comic book store, motorcycles. I looked up and felt electricity in my spine as I looked at the four boys that I had seen the night before. They were talking to each other while their bikes were off. I started to walk towards the beach when the colorful curly haired blond looked me right in the eye. It was like I couldn't look away, but man I wanted to. Then, not as expected, he smiled sweetly, which I returned and kept walking. I've never felt so uncontrollable. I felt his eyes watching me as I walked away. This was confirmed when I looked back and caught him staring with a Cheshire cat grin on his face. I quickly turned around and smiled to my self. I was kind of embarrassed for looking back. Ah well, that's life! So I continued to the beach.

The sand was freezing, which was unexpected since Santa Carla had eighty, even ninety degree days in June. The sound of the water crashing was hypnotic. I loved it. In New York, I spent many nights at Jones beach with my cousin Amanda just listening to the waves. I actually made me sad sitting here. That was topped of when I felt like I was being watched. I've had that feeling before and it never came out good. My fears were confirmed as I heard a deep voice behind me. "Hey baby, what are you doing out here all by my self?" Crap. I stood fast and turned to see a huge guy standing before me. I'm just five foot one inch but I never lost a fight at John Adams High, and boy was I in them. But this guy was no high school kid, though I prided myself on my toughness so I dug my self into a whole. "Who the hell do you think you are ass hole." I regretted the words as they flew from my big mouth with no control or filter. He didn't even answer me, he just smiled and lunged. I crashed to the ground, I tried to fight but I felt paralyzed, my complicated life made it impossible for me to react in this situation. I just laid in terror as I felt all this guys' weight on my body. I did, however, let out whimpers as he started violently feeling me up. "No one can hear you," was the first and last thing he said to me as all of his weight was ripped off me. It took my eyes a minute to adjust but I saw familiar curls pushing this guy away. He looked angry and started towards my new hero but suddenly came to a stop. What ever look this guy had on his face must have been good because the bastard ran like a bitch! Curly turned to face me. "Are you okay?" what did he think? I didn't have to answer though. He came over to me like he'd known me his whole life. "Marko." He said. What a great name. "Bernie." I said sounding weaker than intended. He sat down and pulled me close to him. I didn't even feel uncomfortable, and I could tell he didn't either. I just laid on his chest and let the darkness creep over me.

I woke up the next night in my own bed. I was so convinced it was a dream until I felt the bruises forming on my stomach. I was astonished when I looked at the clock and it said 10:00 pm. It had to be the same night, I couldn't have slept so long! But I had left my house at 11 the night before, and the date on my phone confirmed my doubts. That was a crazy night. I thought about going to the boardwalk to find my savior, and thank the hell out of him! I fell back asleep before the option could even be processed.


	3. Getting to Know You

I woke up the next morning to the sound of glass breaking. I shot up. It was coming from downstairs. As I got to the last step, my "father", Coveny, blew past me. I walked to the kitchen to find my "mom", Glenda, picking up broken glass. She didn't look happy. I bent to help her. I must have startled her because she jumped and cut her finger when I said hi. Despite her new wound she smiled and returned the greeting. "How do you like Santa Carla?" she asked as she was rinsing of her finger. I continued to pick up the glass. "It okay so far, it's just a huge change, you know?" She came back to the mess on the floor. "Things will get better." I took a 360 turn from the conversation, and an enormous risk. "Why did your husband leave like that?" She looked up at me stunned. I don't think she expected me to ask, in fact I don't think she knew I saw him leave. "It's just a hard time for us now. Finances and stuff like that." She looked away from me. "Were hoping that you can help us get closer and finally start a family." She said smiling and looking back. I looked away suddenly feeling super guilty for not wanting to be here. I also had this tremendous weight added to my shoulders; I was supposed to repair this broken couple. "I'm sorry." I said to her. "Why" she asked. I really wanted to tell her why I was really sorry. I wanted to tell her that I was sorry that her husband and her fell out of love and relying on some city kid to help them repair it. I wanted to tell her that I was sorry that they fought, and you can tell by her reactions that it wasn't the first time. But instead I just said, "That things are hard for you now." I wasn't technically lying, things were hard, and I silently mentioned everything I wanted to tell her, right? She just smiled a mondo sweet smile and got up from the floor, all the glass was cleaned. "Thank you." She said. I nodded and disappeared back upstairs to take a shower.

I got out of the shower and looked at my damp reflection in the mirror. It suddenly hit me, how did I get home last night! The fresh bruises were proof enough that I had been out. Did that guy, Marko bring me home? He seemed pretty comfortable with me, almost like he knew me. I won't lie; I felt the same with him. His smell was sweet; his demeanor was spectacular, and I don't remember any of it. What is had brought me home? How did he know where I lived? Maybe he knew Glenda or Coveny, but was that stretching it? I'm letting my thoughts get away from me. I finished drying off and got dressed in my full legged legging and oversized coral t-shirt. I walked over to my bed and took out my treasured diary. I found myself writing about Marko. I described everything I could about him on the empty pages, in hopes that I may recover my lost memories with him last night. There was no luck, but I was still happy to write about him.

A few hours had gone by. I had fallen asleep on my cozy jersey sheets. I went down stairs and out the door. I really couldn't tell you where my "parents" were, but they were hardly ever in the house.

The boardwalk smelled sweet and looked even sweeter. I walked through the mess of people, darkness strongly threatening to approach. I remembered Edgar and Allen and walked over to that little comic store that I loved so much. Of course they were in there, but today there was another boy. He had some nice pieces in his wardrobe but they just weren't working together. I proceeded to walk over to the boys. "Hi." I said looking at the boys. Edgar smiled, he was just so adorable. "Hey N.Y!" he said. I suddenly liked him more for giving me a reason to dwell on the city. I put my hand out and greeted the new kid. "Hi I'm Bernadette." He took my hand quickly, unlike the Frog brothers. "Hi, I'm Sam." He had a nice face, I'm pretty sure he knew that. "He's new, too." Allen quickly added. "Oh where are you from?" I asked him. "Arizona, what about you?" He asked, even though Edgar had pretty much said it I still took a minute to tell him. "New York." I said. You could hear in my voice that I really missed it there. "Alright, it was great meeting you Sam, I just wanted to run in and say hi, I'll see you guys later." They all said buy to me and I walked out the door. Those Frog brothers always made me feel much better about being here.

Any glimmer of the sun was completely gone. The lights on the boardwalk were so much better like that. I always preferred the nighttime over day, but any New Yorker will tell you that really. I stood at the end of the boardwalk, right near the entrance to the cool, empty beach. I really wanted to go down and sit by the salty crashing waves but I was too afraid. It was so unlike me to be afraid of anything. I guess that new feeling of fear came with the new territory. I was leaning on the railing looking down on the beach, when I heard the familiar voice of a Good Samaritan. "Hi." I turned to see the face of my night in shining armor. His face was so beautiful. I found my self staring at what I saw to be perfection. "Um, hi." I finally said. Man was I stupid; I was staring at him for ever! He'll certainly leave now. Nope. Instead he just laughed a little. "Why aren't you going down?" he asked. Was he serious? I must have looked a bit shocked because he laughed a little more. "Just scared I guess." I said looking away from him and at the beach. "Well I can understand that." I looked back at him with a questioning look on my face. "I have some questions I want to ask you. "Well, I'd be happy to answer them if I can ask some to." He said. I nodded. I wasn't scared to answer his questions but, I was scared at the fact that he led me down to the beach for our questionnaire. Once we reached close to the water, I felt okay. I felt so safe with him. I couldn't explain it. He began to speak. "So, what did you want to ask me?" I looked at the waves. "Why did you help me last night?" He took my hand in his. I was a little surprised, but I went with it. "What kind of guy would I be if I didn't?" he was slick. "Good answer." I said giggling. "Thanks, now my turn." I looked at him, suddenly nervous. "Are you scared right now?" I thought that was a waste of a question, but I answered. "No." I wasn't lying, but I wasn't going to tell him that the reason that I wasn't scared was because he was there. "Ok." I said "Did you take me home last night?" he looked at me fast before answering. "Yes." Wow. "I know your dad." Well that partially explained it, but how did he know me? I just got here, I don't even think my "dad" knows me. I nodded again. It was his question. "Do you trust me?" he asked. I looked at him in shock. "I just met you." He just kept staring at me. I looked straight ahead, I couldn't lie to him. "Yes I do." He smiled. I felt him squeeze my hand. "Good, come with me." He started pulling back to the boardwalk. I resisted a little. "Where are we going?" I asked. I was concerned. He just smiled sweetly at me and I couldn't resist. I just walked along with him. "You'll see."

We came to his motorcycle. He got on and put his hand out to me. I took it the sucker I was. He pulled me onto the back of his bike. I put my hands on his shoulders. He looked back at me with a smile on his face, he took my hands off his shoulders, and put them around his waist. "I'm not being a creep, I swear." He said to me. "But your gonna need to hang on." I saw the logic and held on. As he started to really move, I realized why he wanted me to hold on their.

We came up to a cave. What the hell! A cave! He got off the bike and helped me down. "Um Marko, I do trust you but what the hell is this?" He smiled. "What, you've never seen a cave before?" Well I got to be honest with you; Caves aren't exactly abundant in New York City." He laughed, I wasn't joking. "I just want you to meet some people." Um alright, meet some people, right, like I really wanted to meet "Some people" in a cave! I fallowed him anyway.

It was so mesmerizing in there. The colors were amazing. "Guys!" He called once. He took my hand as three other boys came into the room. I suddenly felt self conscious and really awkward. 'Who's this?" The blond one asked, looking me up and down. I won't lie, I was ready to vomit. "Guys this is Bernie, Bernie This is Paul," he said pointing to the Long haired blond one, I nodded, "Dwayne," he said pointing to the dark haired one, Again I nodded, "and this is David." He said pointing to the bleach blond guy. Before I could nod at him he grabbed my hand and shook. "Hello Bernie." He was definitely creepy, but there was something about him that I liked. "So what Marko, you want her to drink." Alcohol? No way, I don't drink. Marko seemed to get angry at that. "Absolutely not!" he yelled and broke away from me leaving me, the nervous wreck, to stand alone. He took David far enough away so that no one could hear what he was saying. This made me even more scared. "So." I said, trying to fill the obvious awkwardness in the air. "Where are you from?" Paul said with a confused look on his face. I smiled. "New York." I said. "Like the city?" He must have been a little air heady. "Yeah, Queens." He looked at me like he had had a firework go off in his head. "Oh! Cool." I was thinking about home. "Yeah, I really miss it." Just as I finished speaking Marko and David walked back to the group. David walked over to me and put his hand out again. "It's great to meet you, Bernadette." I shook his hand but I was confused. "Um, I'll take you home now Bernie, Can you meet me on the boardwalk tomorrow where we met tonight, same time?" I was so happy that he wanted to see me again, I was beginning to forget about this weird encounter with these boys. "Sure." He took my hand and led me out of the cave. We hopped on his bike and he drove me home.

We arrived to the house and he helped me off his bike again. He walked me to the door. He was such a gentleman, which you just would not expect looking at him. No one was home yet. Surprise, surprise! He looked into my eyes with a smile on his face. I couldn't help but blush at this. I smiled back. He leaned in and kissed me so gently on the mouth as he wrapped his strong, protective arms around me. He whispered in my ear. "Sweet dreams." I just melted. Then he waked to his bike and drove off. What was I in for? It was definitely something crazy, because I was falling in love with him.

**Thanks for these quick reviews! I really appreciated them! I've been trying to make them a little longer and fix the paragraphs. Please review! I love hearing from you!**


	4. The Cats Out Of The Vampy Bag

I wanted to go right to sleep when I got upstairs in the empty house, but I didn't want to forget any of the details of what happened tonight. I pulled my diary out of my desk draw and began to jot down even the most insignificant details about everything, even the boys. It was thirsty work.

I got to the bottom of the stairs with a weird feeling. When I got to the kitchen and got a glass out of the cabinet I heard the something fall in the living room. I set the glass down super quietly and went to check the noise I heard in the pitch black house. Yeah, I've seen Panic Room, I know you're not supposed to do that but there was nothing there. I walked back to the kitchen and filled up my glass with water. I was still weary as I leaned on the counter and drank from the glass, facing the front door. The last drop didn't cut it so I turned to fill up my glass a second time. "Don't fucking move, bitch." Holy crap! I dropped the glass in the sink and it shattered. "Turn around" he said it pretty calmly, but before I could move I heard a click. When I turned to face the three intruders my fears were confirmed when I saw the gun. I lost my breath immediately. The gunman just chuckled. "Come here." He had no personality to his voice but I obliged. He led me to the living room with his hand in the small of my back. Uncomfortable much? We stopped in front of the safe in the living room. "Open it." He said. What? "What?" I said. He grabbed me by the hair and forced me down to my knees. "Open the fucking safe." He said with the same lifelessness as before. "I…I don't know the combination." I said. "BITCH, OPEN IT!" this was the first emotion he showed, too bad it was so negative. "I'm telling the truth." I said softly. "WHAT?" he yelled. "I'm telling the truth, I don't know it." I sad it just a tad louder. He didn't say anything he just kicked me hard in the ribs. I fell to the ground and clenched my side. "I'll fucking kill…" Someone else just came in the room, please not another burglar. "Get away from her." Holy crap! It was Marko! "What a stupid kid, to bad he has to die." I heard the gun click again, but no shot. They just ran out of the house. I felt Marko's hands around my neck, turning my face to his. He looked me in the eye for a second before turning his attention to my stomach, where I had been kicked. I grunted at the sudden pain I felt as he touched his hand to my side. "I'm sorry, Bernie." He said as he again put his hand to my side, only this time I felt no pain, it was gone. It just disappeared. I sat up to face him. "Marko, how the hell did you do that, where did the pain go? How did you scare those guys away? How did you know to come here, were you watching me?" I was shooting off questions so fast that even I got confused. "Bernie hold on, I'll answer your questions, just come with me." He stood. "No Marko, no more trips, your gonna answer my questions, just sit on the couch, okay?" he stared for a second, and then nodded. He sat on the couch and began explaining. "Well, there's one way to explain it all, but you have to come with me or it won't make any sense." I thought for a second. "Where are we going?"

The motorcycle stopped in front of that cave again. I wasn't as nervous as last time to go in because I already knew what to expect. When we arrived inside he sat me down by that big fountain. "David." He called out. Just as fast as his name was said, he arrived in the room. "Bernie, back so soon." I nodded at David. Marko whispered something to David, and whatever he was saying took a few minutes because I sat for quite a while. David turned away from Marko and looked at me, he looked back at Marko and nodded his head in agreement. David looked at me once again. "Were vampires, that's how he knew you were in trouble," As he was saying this I was stunned at the fact that it all made sense, and the fact that he was telling me they were damn vampires! "Marko's eyes scared them away, both times he helped you. And he can heal himself and the one he truly cares for." I didn't know what to say. He couldn't be lying to me cause it all just came together. Does Marko really care about me, what does that mean? Does he love me? "Oh.' It was all I could manage. "I understand if you…" I couldn't let him finish that thought. "Marko, I really, really like you, this will just take getting used to." I looked at the two of them. "I trust you." I said, and I did. Marko smiled. His smile put this crazy feeling in my heart. I feel so connected to Marko; I think I'm in love with him. No, I know I'm in love with him. David left the cave.

"Do you want to stay here tonight…with me." I smiled; I could tell that he was super nervous, which was just so cute to me. "Ok." I said. He took my hand and let me to this bed to the right of the empty cave. I sat with him. "Don't try anything guy." I said, he laughed and smiled that amazing smile he had, that Cheshire cat grin. "Nothing, scouts honor." I smirked. I was really taking this too well. It was really dark. He put his strong arms around me and pulled me in close to his chest on the bed. I took in his smell, it was sweet. "So, how did you know I was in trouble before?" I asked. "I'm a vampire.' He said with a smile. "No, I know," I said and laughed a little bit. "But how did you _know_?" he paused for a minute, "Its hard to explain, I just _felt_ that you were in trouble." I took it. "Is that how you knew when that guy on the beach…" He didn't let me finish, and good thing too, because I didn't want to. "Yes." I was satisfied. "Okay' I said with a yawn. With time, we both fell asleep on that bed with his arms so tightly wrapped around me.

I had felt the safest ever when I woke in his arms the next morning, but I knew that I couldn't stay. I kissed him softly on his sleeping lips. He just looked so amazing when he slept. I'd never seen a more beautiful boy. I stood and took the longest walk ever back to my house. It didn't seem that long on a bike. I walked in the house to Glenda with a scared look on her face. I realized that she was scared _for _me instead of _about_ my location all night when her raging husband stormed into the room. I smelled the alcohol on his breath the minute he got in my face and started yelling. "How the fuck did my lamp break? And why was there broken glass in the sink!" Wow he was really drunk and it was so early. "I..." he wouldn't let me finish. "And where were you all night you fucking whore." I was so taken back by this. When I looked over at Glenda, this ass hole slapped me right in the face. It knocked me right off my feet. That really hurt too. He left the room and Glenda followed after a silent sorrowful whisper to me. I wiped the tears from my face and went up to my room. I laid in my bed and put my head in my pillow. All I could think about was how ready I was to just leave the house again and meet Marko and the other boys at the boardwalk. Unfortunately I had to wait until tonight like I'd promised Marko. Eventually, thank god, my thoughts put me to sleep and that put a temporary stop to the stinging on my face from the unnecessary slap given to me by dear old' dad.

Glenda woke me up about an hour after I fell asleep. I sat up to hear what she had to say just so I could go back to bed. "I'm so sorry about that Bernadette." She seemed really upset. "Glenda, has he ever hit you." I had to ask her because when he hit me, it felt like it came natural to him, like it wasn't the first time he'd done it. "Yes." She confirmed his abusiveness. "He only gets like that when he's drunk, though." Wow what a great excuse. "Later, he won't even remember." That scared me. She wasn't even going to stand up for herself, let alone me. I just nodded at her statements. "Really sweetheart, I'm sure he won't do it again." She didn't even believe what was coming out of her own mouth, how could I? Should I prepare for and abusive life from now on. She hugged me and left the room. I laid my head back down on my pillow. Great, a smacker, the cherry to the top of a magnificent new life. I fell back to sleep wishing I was still with Marko.

8:30. I was supposed to meet Marko at 9. I went to the door to leave when my "dad" walked up behind me. "Where are you going?" I stayed facing the door. "Out." I said, I didn't even wait for his answer, I just walked out the door and ran to the boardwalk. I saw Marko and the boys and ran to them. "Hi." I said. Marko stood my be as all the boys smiled at me. "We have to go do something, is there somewhere you can wait until were done?" in my heard I knew what they had to do, I just didn't want to think about it. "Yeah." I lied. Marko kissed me and they went off. I couldn't go home, so where could I wait. The Frogs!


	5. Bernie and friends, secrets, and wounds

I was really excited to see the boys again, but I was worried. Now that I knew that they weren't crazy, how could I face them knowing what I know about Marko. I sucked it up and walked in.

"Bernie! What's…" Edgar stopped in his tracks. "What?" I said, curiously. "What happened to your face?" what the hell was he talking about. Allan brought me a mirror. Holy crap, there was a giant red mark with a little cut where Coveny had slapped me this morning. I couldn't tell that to these guys. I had to keep my dignity. "Oh wow guys, I don't even know where this came from!" I was lying through my teeth. "You should really have this looked at." Alan said. "Yeah you're right, first thing tomorrow." Lie. "So what's knew fellows?" I asked, trying to pass time until I heard the boys' bikes. "Nothing knew, I mean some jerk stole some books but no one can find him, or his girlfriend." Was I wrong in drawing a vampish conclusion? 'Oh I'm sorry about that guys. Well, how much did they cost?" they counted on their fingers. "About 5 dollars." That was pretty cheap for 87'. "How many did they take?" they looked at each other. "Three." Alan said. "Wow you guys are really cheap, and I mean that in the best way possible." They smiled. I reached into my pocket and handed them and crisp old five dollar bill. "We can't take that!" Edgar said. "I have some cash on me, don't worry about it guy, take it, please." He reluctantly reached out and took the money. He handed it to Alan who brought it over to the cash register. As he closed the machine, I heard the engines of a few familiar bikes. "I'll see you later guys." They thanked me for the money and I walked out the door.

As I approached the boys I remembered my face, I covered the mark with my hair and continued to the guys. "Hey." I said quickly. They weren't suspicious but they didn't look happy. "What's the matter?" I asked, I felt kind of stupid. Marko looked around at the group before speaking. "There is another group trying to mess with our turf." I was confused, as I am not of vampish decent. "What does that mean?" Marko looked at David who was the one who answered my question. "Deal time." Wow. "Oh." I said. "We have to go and see them now." David finished. "I want to come with you." I said. "It's way to dangerous." Marko said. "Well I look at it like this, there vampires, your vampires, I'll be with you, how bad could it get?" I said pretty convincingly if I do say so myself. "She's right.' Paul said. I could see Marko considering it. "Fine. But just stay by me." It seemed like an easy price to pay. "Okay."

We were down at the dark beach; I now realized how much worse it could have been for me if it wasn't that perv on the beach that night. Marko grabbed my hand pretty hard as the other group came towards us. "So…" the leader guy looked at me. "She's not one of us." Marko seemed nervous but David spoke. "Never mind her." He snapped. The leader's eyes never left me. That was pretty nerve racking. His eyes traced over my body making me really scared. "Were here to talk about turf, your on ours, we want you off." The leader finally looked away from me and at David. "So you want to make a deal?" David smiled. "That would seem to be the only way, wouldn't it?" The leader looked at me again. "We'll take a day to think about it, well let you know. Where's your cave?" Marko squeezed my hand protectively but he looked really annoyed at this guy. "Were on the east side of the beach. All the way down." You could tell by David's voice that he really didn't want to give out that information to these guys. The leader smiled. "Than that's that," He again turned his attention to me. "Bye Bernadette." How the hell did he know my name! Marko pulled me away fast as we returned to the boardwalk ahead of the other boys. He was annoyed, but not at me. "That guy was just an ass." I gave him a 'you're telling me' look. He hugged me and apologized. "Marko, don't worry about it, he didn't do anything, and I know you wouldn't have let him if he tried." I smiled, it made him feel better, I could tell because he gave me his patented Cheshire cat grin. He put his hand on my back and led me to his bike. I burrowed into his back and he drove me home.

I was ready to get off when I saw Coveny in the upstairs window looking down. I froze, Shit. Marko looked at me after he got off. "Bernie, what's wrong?" he said. I had no choice. I took a deep breath and removed the hair from my cheek. He suddenly tensed up and opened his eyes wide; his face was full of hurt. He gently put his hand to my face and I let tears fall. "What…who did this to you?" he asked. I looked in the house, "Your dad?" I couldn't let him say that. "He's not my dad, he's my foster father." He looked really angry. "Marko, I can't go in there!" he nodded in agreement, "I'll take you back with me." He said wiping the tears carefully from my face and pulling me into a passionate hug. He kissed me lightly on the lips. "I'm so sorry." He said. I gave him another kiss as an 'I know'. He got back on the bike and prepped to leave when Coveny opened the front door. I buried my face in Marko's back as he started to drive away. "Get back here you whore." I heard Coveny yell. I felt Marko tense up, but he never stopped. I felt bad leaving Glenda, but I couldn't go back, now I knew why their marriage was failing, and no baby could save it. Glenda wasn't a wife, she was Coveny's anger outlet, and you can't save that, I didn't want to think about it.

We stopped in front of the cave. "Are they gonna be mad that I'm here?" I asked Marko. "Bern they could never be mad that you were her, We feel like you're the baby of the group, like we have to protect you, you know?" nope, I didn't. "Yeah." We walked in to greet the others.

"What's going on, Bernie why aren't you home?" David asked. Marko looked at me. I knew why so I nodded. He moved the hair away from my face and showed the group. "What the fuck!" Paul blurted out. "How did that happen?" That was the first time I heard Dwayne speak to me. "My foster father." I admitted. "Well," David started, "you'll just have to stay with us, wont you?" he said it with a smile that comforted me. "Are you tired?" Marko asked me. I nodded my head yes. Marko looked at the others who vanished. He brought me over to the bed we had spent the previous night. It was again pitch black. "Don't you want to take your jeans off?" he asked me. "Yeah, but I can't." he looked at me in confusion. "Why?" he asked. 'Why don't you?" I said. He didn't answer as I expected. "Because, I'm comfortable in mine, you just look so uncomfortable." He was right. "I'm to self-conscious to do it." He looked at me with confusion. "Why, you're so beautiful." My heart melted, as did I. "No one has ever said that about me before." I was so in love with this guy. "I'm glad I get to be the first, hopefully I can be the only one." He said with a smile. "Hopefully you can be." I said, and I was being truly honest. "Fine, Ill take them off, but only when I'm covered." He laughed and nodded. We got under the covers together and I followed through and took off my jeans and threw them to the floor. He wrapped his arms around me like last night and I just felt so safe with him. How could you not. "So, how long has he been hitting you." I knew we would end up talking about this sooner or later, I guess sooner. "Yesterday. I don't know it just came out of no where. I barley talked to him since I moved here, I break one glass because I have a gun pointed at me and I get hit." He rested his chin at the top of my head. "That's crazy." He said. "Tell me about it." We laid there in silence for a few minutes when I turned to him. "Thank you Marko." I said to him. "For what?" He asked. "Just everything, I mean you saved my life twice and I don't think I ever thanked you for it." And tonight, wow tonight you've just been amazing about everything. I…I love you." I was taking a huge risk saying that to him. But he smiled. "I love you, too." He said, I was so relieved. He continued. "I thought you would never say that." Neither did I to tell you the truth. He kissed me, and I returned it passionately. He wrapped his arms tighter around me as I brought my hands up to his neck, both deepening the kiss. He pushed his hands up my shirt and that's when I started feeling anxiety. "Marko." I said softly, He didn't hear me, shit! I was starting to cry but he didn't notice. "Marko please stop." He wasn't paying attention. I started to unintentionally fight against him with tears streaming down my face. "Marko please god stop!" I finally yelled. He finally got the picture and saw me crying. "Did I hurt you?" he looked like a shocked mess, but not as messy as I was. Crap, I had to tell him another secret of mine. "Marko, I'm so sorry." He stopped me. "Please don't apologize to me, what's wrong, tell me." He said. "Marko, I was raped." I let out as I began to cry more. "What!" He yelled. "Who did it? Was it you foster father?!" While he had potential it wasn't him. "No, it was before I came to Santa Carla. Marko I trust you and everything, I won't be like this forever, I hope, but I guess it's just the atmosphere of tonight. Really, I'm sorry." He pulled me into a really comforting hug as I cried into his chest. He again rested his chin on the top of my head. We fell asleep so closely together you couldn't fit a hair between us.

Because I slept at dawn, it was about ten o'clock at night by the time I woke again. I opened my eyes to see Marko watching me sleep. "Sorry, I don't mean to seem so creepy, but you're so beautiful when you sleep. I smiled at that because I was doing that to him the first day I woke up in this cave. "Not creepy at all." I said as I kissed him. He returned it. Then he did something that made me want to kill him. He pulled the sheet off me completely, showing me in just my t-shirt and my underpants. He laughed so hard and I couldn't help but giggle. "Stop!" I yelled in hysterical laughter. That can't be very convincing. I stood tall on my knees and reached for the sheet. He pulled it behind his head and kissed me. When I gave in to the kiss he wrapped the sheet around me and pulled me into a hug. He had one hand on the back of my head and the other on my back and we hugged and kissed. "What a show." I heard a voice say. Marko and I looked up to see the leader from that other pack staring at us. I wanted to disappear. "But really, tell me when you fuck her." He said to Marko. "You bastard!" Marko barked. I shrank to the headboard and pulled my knees close to my chest. Marko stood up and charged to this guy only to be stopped by David. "Not now Marko." The leader smiled at Marko and looked over to me. He was looking me up and down. I started to cry. Marko moved in front of him blocking his view of me. "Get ready, were going back to the beach." David said. Marko came back over to me. "I'm sorry." He said, there were a lot of sorrys moving around between us. I got to my feet and pulled on my pants. "Let's go." I said. He took my hand as we left to go to the beach.


	6. Russion Roulette And A Failed Attempt

Marko and I were the last to arrive at the dark beach. I really didn't want to get off that bike and face this creep, but I had no choice, did I? Marko got off first and helped me down. Instead of just holding my hand, he put his whole arm around me and took my closest hand to his and held it close to his heart. I was so scared, and anyone with senses could tell.

We walked up close to David and the others. As, unavoidably, the other pack leaders eyes darted to me, Paul moved in front of me as Marko just held me tight. "Talk." David said annoyed. I thanked god for all of their short tempers. "There's nothing wrong with fantasizing David, I'm sure you've done it, Maybe even with her." He said with a smile. "Talk." David wasn't letting it get to him. There was silence for what seemed like light-years. Finally he spoke. "Okay so this deal, we've made up our minds." David looked at him suspiciously when he said that, ill tell ya, it sounded pretty damn suspicious! "Okay, what do you want?" David said. I couldn't see what was going on in front of me because Paul was standing right in my view, which he did on purpose, and which I appreciated. "We want the girl for the night." I became super light headed hearing this and crashed to the ground, still in Marko's arms. He sat down on the ground with me as I tried to fight away the anxiety attack threatening to pounce on my frailness. "You'll have to try us with something else, cause that's not happening." David was stern about this and I was grateful. He could have easily said yes and cleared his spot of all other vampires. "Oh it's happening." That was so terrifying. I felt Marko fighting not to break away from me and go after this guy. "Try it." Paul yelled. He just laughed like there was no way he could be stopped, which at about now I believed that very thing. I was trying quietly to get words out to Marko, but my fear and sudden anxiety were getting the best of me, though I fought on. "Marko, please, you…can…can't let this…" I just couldn't finish. He just came close to my ear and whispered, "Never." That calmed me a bit. "Pick something else, now!" David was becoming impatient. I wish he woulda killed them. "Bodies, we'll settle for four of your Santa Carla turf natives." David thought for a second and then spoke. "Fine." Thank god. I'll be honest with you, this pursuing of me wasn't over, I could feel it, and that terrified me! "See you soon, Bernie." I can't take this, I'm gonna have a heart attack or something like that, this was just so scary, in all my years I've never been more terrified, and I'm a New Yorker! The other Pack moved away as Marko lifted me bridal style to his bike. He sat me down to calm me. "It over now, their gone." I nodded at him. "Are you okay?" Yes I'm fine, I've only been threatened and fatally hit on! "I'll be okay." I needed my diary, which was a kind of dangerous need. "I have to go to my house and pick up something, but if someone's home, I won't go in. He nodded and we were on our way.

The house was completely engulfed by darkness, if anyone was home, they were dead. "I'll be right back." I looked back at him on my way up to the door. When I pushed it opened right away. I ran right up to my room and searched all over the place for my diary. It was no where to be found. Then I smelled it, liquor. Coveny. I didn't even have time to turn around. "Are you looking for this?" He obviously had my diary, I didn't have to turn around to see that, but I felt his breath though my think hair and his voice was so close, he was right behind me. My heart felt as thought it would pound right through my chest. "MARKO!!" I yelled suddenly as screeching and as loud as I could. Coveny's hand pressed quickly on my mouth. He pushed me roughly to the ground. I felt a little dizzy. "You filthy whore, is he who you've been writing about in your fucking diary?" He ended that sentence with a brutal kick to my ribs. "Stop, please." I tried, I didn't have much energy after that kick so my pleads were too weak. "You're a filthy fucking cheap whore, I'd spend cheap bills on girls like you!" he kicked me again. "Marko." I tried, it was just too weak. He bent down and viciously grabbed my face to face his; he punched my cheek so hard I thought I was going to die. Marko finally came into the room and hit Coveny over the head with his own bottle which he dropped in his attack on me. He wasn't dead, just passed out. Marko had a complicated mixture of anger and hurt in his eyes as he bent over to heal me. I stopped him, quietly and weakly, but I stopped him. "Marko, please not here, just take me out of this place." He tried to argue "Bernie if I don't do this now, I'm not sure if it will work later." I looked into his eyes and pleaded, "Marko, please." I felt like the dirty whore Coveny said I was pleading in that way. Then, stunningly, a tear from Marko's face hit mine, if tears weren't already falling from me they would have started then. He picked me up and got me out of that fucking house.

When we got into the cave, it was empty again. The boys were probably still out hunting. Marko laid me on the bed. "Oh god Bernie, he really hurt you." I wanted to but I couldn't respond, I was too weak. He buried his head in my stomach and if I could have made a guess, I would guess that he was crying into me, the way I had him many times. He confirmed that thought when he looked up at me with teary eyes. "I was there; it never should have gotten that far." He was blaming himself. "Marko, don't, it's not your fault." I was about to be taken over by a deep slumber when he climbed carefully into the bed and gently draped his arm around me, I felt safe and let the darkness invade.

I woke up alone. There was no one in the cave, or so I thought. "Oh Bernie, I told you I'd see you again." Holy crap it was that guy, no! "What do you want?" I said, my voice shaky. "You know what I want." With that he pounced on me. His weight on my frail body was enough to make me pass out, but I couldn't, I was going to be conscious for this whole thing. "Please…no!" I said through struggles. I screamed until he punched my in my face and started to take my pants off, the tears were as vicious as he was. Then, I woke up.

I was sweating as I shot up in the bed. Marko was next to me, he was still sleeping. I didn't want to wake him, but I wasn't going back to sleep. "Are you okay?" I heard Marko say through a stirring voice. I looked at him, "Yeah, just a bad dream." He pulled me close to him, he had healed me already when I fell asleep so he wasn't hurting me. "Was it about him?" I nodded. "Yeah." He just squeezed me tighter. I let myself relax as he gave me a kiss and I fell asleep for the second time. Knowing he was there comforted me so much I can't even really explain it.

Marko woke me. I felt like a block of ice that was just melting away. There was some crappy things that occurred in New York, but this was just horrific. I've never had so many people want to hurt me, from the night I got here to this minute, someone out there in Santa Carla just wants me in pain. "How are you feeling?" he couldn't understand, I wish I could make him see. "As good as I can be." We sat in silence until David came to the room. "We're going out." I felt Marko's eyes digging into me, even though I was stubbornly staring at my scrawny feet. "We're not coming." Marko said, I was glad he spoke for me. "Marko you have to go, you didn't yesterday. Bernie can stay but you'll be too weak." I finally looked up. "Go." I said to him, with barley any emotion. "Bernie, I'm not leaving you here." Just then I heard the voice of a girl that I'd never heard before, and I turned to see the face of a girl that id never seen before. "Star." David said. Star, i liked it. She walked over to me and put out her hand. "I'm Star." She smiled at me. "Bernadette." I said, shaking her hand. "Are you okay with this?" Marko asked me. "Yeah." I said truthfully. He kissed me and I returned it. In seconds they were gone. Now I had to get to know this gypsy stranger.

"I'm sorry that you have to stay here for me." I broke what I saw to be an awkward silence. "Please, I wanted to stay, you seem really important to Marko, and anyone that is so special, I really want to get to know." She was so sincere that I already liked her, and I hardly knew her. "Well if it means anything I really appreciate you staying. I said I'd stay by myself but I really don't know how I would have handled it, I might have jumped out of my skin at any little noise." Oh hell, I'd do it right now. "Do you want to talk about it? I mean I don't really know what happened but if you need to talk, I'd say that this would be the perfect time." I did want to talk about it but I was always so uncomfortable sharing like my feelings, you know? "Well, I mean it's just that other pack that's here now, have you heard about them?" she made an 'unfortunately I have' face. "Yeah, David told me about them last night." I'm glad she knew who I was talking about because it would have made this entire conversation really mondo senseless. "Yeah they're just really persistent in pursuing, and they just bring back old, bad, memories. It's just a hard change being here and all these extra difficulties don't help much." She looked at me for a second. "I know what you men, I've never had a pursuing issue, per say, but the whole changing thing I understand." I think she though I meant becoming a vampire, which was something I wasn't doing at all. "I'm talking about moving here, from New York." I said so she knew I wasn't vampishly affected. "Oh that still works, just change in general, you know?" I did know, big time. Hours passed, star was now doing some thing with her hair and I sat thinking. I yawned. "Are you tired." I considered it but, given my physical state, I couldn't lie. "More than you know." And I had every right, it was almost Dawn again and the boys would be back soon. "Go to bed silly, its not a crime." YAY! "Thank you for saying that! I didn't really want to leave you alone, but I really appreciate it!" she laughed. "No worried, goodnight!" I nodded at her and went to the bed that I had been sharing with Marko, who was expected to come home any minute. I tried but I couldn't wait for him, I laid my head on the white uncased pillow and I was out faster that you can count to three.

Ill guess that about two hours after I fell asleep, I felt Marko climb in the bed with me. When I stirred, he spoke. "Bern I'm sorry!" he said in a loud whisper. "Don't worry, it wont take long for me to fall asleep again." He pulled me in close. Something was wrong, he was shaking. "Marko, what's up?" I was starting to become more conscious. "Nothing Bernie, don't worry." Don't worry? "Marko, your shaking like a leaf, what's going on?" I looked him in the eye. "I…" Why was this so hard for him. "Don't you trust me at all Marko?" My heart was breaking. "Oh Bernadette its not that at all!" He cleared that up without missing a step. "Okay, than tell me, please, I can handle it." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a minute. "Okay, but you have to promise that you wont freak out," I nodded "We saw that other pack watching us tonight, than after a few hours there was no sign of them, we didn't think much of it, but, when we came back here, they were just about to come into the cave. When they saw us they fled, I was so scarred that something had happened to you." Oh my god. "Well nothing happened, so don't worry about it. I'll come out with you from now on, okay." I was trying to calm his shaking and nervousness, but I was starting to worry about my own heart, seeing as it stopped! "Your taking this better than I thought you would. He said. "Well, it really hasn't had time to sink in yet, give it a few minutes." After we laughed for a minute or two I felt a little better about the whole situation, and I think that he did too. "It was just the thought that something could have happened to you while I wasn't there, it made me so incredibly upset in so many ways." I was so ecstatic that he cared for me so much. "Well, never forget Marko, I never give up without a mild fight." I smiled. "Mild! I feel so much better." We laughed again, that just felt so good. "I love you Bernie, I really do." The butterflies in my stomach were flying around like they all too speed. "I love you too, so much." I was so serious and it hadn't even been that long. You just know, you know what I mean, you just know when you're talking to that person that you truly love with all your heart and soul. I gave him a hug which he deepened. We stayed like that for a few minutes. "I'm scarred." I finally admitted. I'd been trying to hide it. "I know." He said. And to tell you the truth, I wasn't really stunned at all that he already knew, how I could be stunned at anything he did was beyond me, he was a vampire! I nodded at him. He put his hand on the back of my head and pulled my forehead to his lips. It was so loving I thought I was gonna melt right there in his lap. "Well, as long as you stay with me, I won't ever let anything happen to you." He was so gentile with me. I looked into his eyes and I kissed him and he returned it gently. We both deepened it and it became very passionate, very quickly I put my arms around his neck as he put his around the small of my back. He carefully eased me on the bed and got on top of me. We never parted lips. He took off his heavy jacket and I laid my hands on his back as he started to kiss my neck. He pushed his hands underneath my back and held me as we kissed. Before I knew it he was about to push in. "Are you sure you want to do this?" I was, it just took a minute to say it. "Yeah." He held me tight as he slowly pushed forward. I felt a sudden bolt of pain that caused me to squeeze his arm and gasp. "Am I hurting you!" he was so worried about me. I was silent, I didn't even realize he was talking to me, a million thing flashed through my head. "No, Bernie I'm stopping, you're not ready, I can't push you." As a few minutes went by and we made ourselves fairly decent I spoke. "I'm so sorry." His eyes darted to mine so fast I thought they were gonna fly out of his head. "Bernie, the is nothing that you should be sorry about! I'm sorry, I'm sorry you felt like you had to do this for me, and I'm a scumbag for even trying to." I felt bad. "No your not Marko, Its my fault, I'll be ready one day, just not today. God I feel like such an ass hole! Coveny was right about me the other night." How could I do this to Marko! "Bernadette, how could you think that way about yourself? He was a fucking bastard that hurt you! Nothing he said was right!" I started sobbing, I didn't even expect it. "Nothing." He said in a whisper as he pulled me into the deepest hug. My sobs made him squeeze me tighter because they were just so vicious. He carefully lowered me onto the bed still in his arms. My tears calmed as he rubbed my back in rhythmic circles. So far we were three for three on falling asleep in each others arms. I never want to leave this moment.

**Hi! Please keep the reviews coming, they are like drugs to me! I hope everyone's enjoying this, please tell me if you are or not! Love hearing from you! :3 xoxo**


	7. Sing To Me The Song Of The Stars

As usual I woke up before Marko. I didn't want to wake him up thought, so I stayed still and watched him sleep. Despite his clothes and his friends, he had such a sweet face, and the biggest eyes. He was utterly perfect in my eyes. I could have laid there for hours but he started to wake up. "Hey lady." He said with I smile. "Hello sir." I said back. He smiled and kissed me on the lips. "Are you feeling better?" he asked. "Yeah." And I actually was feeling better. "You gonna come tonight, I would feel so much better if you did, cause when we go do what we have to do at least you'll be in a crowd you know?" I forgot all about this. "Yeah, I'll find something to do." There was only one thing that I could do, go see the frogs.

The boardwalk was cool tonight. I blocked out almost all of the sound, I was just taking in the brightness and excitement of the people around me. "Okay we'll be back real soon, just listen for us, okay?" I smiled. "Yeah, don't worry, I'll be listening." He kissed me and followed David and the others. I turned my attention on getting to the comic book store. It was as full as usual, which was empty. Edgar and Alan were standing behind the counter. "Hello boys." I said. "Bernie! Long tome so see, where've you been?" Alan said. Oh nowhere, you know, only the eyes of one vampire, and the arms of another, no big deal. "You know, around." I finally said. "Hey are you alright." Edgar asked. Man for someone who hates sharing emotions, I sure show them a lot. "Oh yeah, I'm fine, just some sucky family stuff at home." Alan looked at me funny. "Like what kind of family stuff?" What the hell was I supposed to say to that? I couldn't tell them that the family stuff was being beaten every time I walked in that house. "Oh, my foster parents have been fighting about money and stuff, there's never a quiet moment, so I haven't really been sleeping." Thank god he took that excuse because I didn't know what I would have said if they didn't believe that. "Oh yeah, tell me about it! Our parents used to do that." For I second I thought he meant beat them, but than I remembered my lie. "Used to?" I asked. "Yeah, when they opened this store, we started bringing in money. That shut them up!" I smiled. "So, what's new guys?" This conversation wasn't going anywhere. "Eh, Same old, same old." It really wasn't going anywhere. "This conversation is so bad." We all laughed at that and really we were laughing because it was so true, and then came that awkward silence. It was broken by the sounds of motor cycles. "Okay, ill see ya later guys." They said goodbye and I walked out of the Store.

I had heard the bikes but there was no one in site on the boardwalk. Where did they go? I decided to walk a little to see if I could find them. I passed by a gated alley way. Someone grabbed me violently and painfully by the arm and pulled me in. Oh my god, it was that leader! He covered my mouth as the tears began to fall. "Now listen to me," I tried to scream through his hand but the boardwalk was too loud, no one could hear me, "Your gonna come with me quietly, or I'll kill you, and then I'll find Marko, and ill kill him too." I felt absolutely powerless. I nodded in defeat. "Good." He led me out of the alley. Each person who passed me in the crowd could be my nameless savior if I could just cry for help. My tear stained cheeks weren't enough for a rescue. Before I knew it we had come up to a motorcycle, surely it was the one I had heard in the store. I looked back to the boardwalk and saw the boys pull up. "MARKO!" I yelled as loud as I could, I don't know if he heard me. The leader came quickly over and roughly threw his hand over my mouth. "Oh, no, why do you have to break the rules?" He held me up and punched my hard in the cheek. Shit, I was in for something bad. He pulled me behind him on his motorcycle and we drove away, leaving any hope of my rescue behind at the Technicolor boardwalk.

We were deep in the woods when we finally came to a stop. There was this old looking warehouse; it was pretty big for its condition. I was stubbornly silent as he grabbed me from my spot on the bike and pulled me inside. It was the stalest and most bitter smell I'd ever smelled. He brought me to the closest room to the exit, threw me in it, and locked the door from the outside. I had cried myself to sleep that night, but can you blame me, who wouldn't? I missed Marko, and I wanted nothing more than for him to come and save me right now, but that wasn't happening.

I was woken up by the loud opening of the door. I hadn't been asleep for a half hour by that time. "So, your boys want me out, huh?" He delivered a vicious kick to my ribs. I grunted. "I don't know why they couldn't just give us what we wanted. It would have been so much easier if they had just given us what we wanted." He delivered an identical kick to the same bruised spot on my stomach, and so I delivered the same grunt, only this time I unintentionally added tears. "Well, now we had to go take what we wanted, and you'll come out of this in worse shape because of them." He continued to beat me in that hidden warehouse. I received kicks to my stomach, and when I tried to stand up, I would be kicked down on my back. He would sit me up and smack and punch my face, and lunge his fist hard into my gut. I actually wanted to die. "Now I'll go first gentlemen, when I'm done you three can flip for turns, okay? Now shut the door, I'll need privacy." Shit. They obliged and shut the door, leaving us alone. I heard him unbutton his belt and jeans as he walked closer to my battered body. "Since the moment I saw you, i wanted you." He said calmly. "Did you want me to, baby." I don't think he expected me too speak but with all the energy I could muster, I spoke anyway, through tears. "No." I said as sternly as I could. All it got me was another blow to my tender ribs. "I'm gonna enjoy this." With that he turned me on my back and got on top of me. He kissed me roughly on the mouth and let his hands wonder my body. I was in complete constant pain. Though, through any emotional and bodily objections I fought. I fought against his mouth and his hands. "No." I said through my partially closed mouth. The tears were really falling as he got more and more rough with my frail body. I continued to fight thought it did no good, it just pissed him off. "Please, stop, please don't!" I would beg. That took every ounce of my dignity away. He would just laugh. He had pulled my pants down just enough to position himself. Than he did it. He took me with such horrific force. I cried as silently as I could. I was dying inside at every thrust. I felt bruises forming all over my body, and I had to do this three more times. As he came to his climax, he tore the midsection of my shirt. I felt his nails cut into me when he did this. He collapsed on top of me for a few minutes. I laid there in shock and pain. He got up and walked out without a word, just a wink.

As the second one walked in, he didn't waste any time. He just got on top of me and began to defile me further. This was how it went until the night was over. I sat up against the wall when I was left alone. I was so broken, in all aspects of the word. I must have sat there for hours before I fell asleep. I had dreamt of New York, being in my house in Kew gardens off Hillside Avenue. I was watching The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour with my dad. God I loved that show. My tranquility was ripped away at the opening of the door the next day, well night. "Your little fucking boyfriend thinks I had something to do with your disappearance. Ha, if he only knew what I have done, and will do." He walked over and stood over my defeated body. "He said that they would stop at nothing to find you, and then he punched me, Bernadette, now I have to punish you for that." He kicked me in my already battered stomach, and then he again got on top of me and whispered in my ear, "Just imagine that I'm Marko." He said. That made me sick. And with that, he repeated the acts from the previous night. Then he left.

Just as expected another walked in. But it was about an hour later, things were quiet outside, I had thought they all left. He came over and knelt before me. I couldn't see his face but I flinched at his gentile touch to my check, anticipating the hit. It never came. Instead I felt the tears, of someone very hurt, on my hand. "Oh, Bernie." Oh my God. "Marko." I said through my sudden sobs. I had vicious almost screaming sobs and he carefully pulled me into him. He kissed the top of my head, "I'm getting you out of here." He scooped me up and I just cried into his chest. When we reached the door we were suddenly stopped. "You really shouldn't have done that." Said the head vampire as he shut and locked the steel door yet again. "No." I said in terrible fear. Marko backed up to the wall and slid down it so I ended up on his lap. My face never left his chest as we both sat there in defeat.

Marko spoke when his eyes finally adjusted to the darkness and he was able to survey the damage, my damage. "Oh my god Bernie, what did they do to you?" I looked away from him and started to cry. "Everything." I said. They completely destroyed me. "I…I'm so sorry." He said as he again kissed the top of my head and wrapped his arms as tightly around me as he could without hurting me. I was afraid, but I wasn't settled by the fact that he was, too. "I will get you out of here. I promise." He set me down next to him and rose to find a way out. I really, really hope he finds one!

It was about 20 minutes later that he found the loose door hinge. I watched in complete amazement as he ripped the metal door off with his bare hands. He backed up towards me watching the door he had just ripped off. "Come on Bern." He bent down and lifted me bridal style, it hurt a little. I buried my face in his chest as he took me out of that room. When we got outside I had a thought. "Marko, how are we gonna get out of here?" He kept moving. "I hid my bike over here. I know you're in pain but you still have to ride behind me, Hold on okay?" I was scared. "Okay." When we finally came to the bike, he carefully lowered me to my feet. I leant on the bike for support. "You okay?" I nodded. After he got on he put his hand out to help me get on. Slowly but surly I was able to get on the bike. I wrapped my arms around him tightly and he began to drive away.

I sighed in relief as we pulled up to the cave. I began to sob horrifically knowing that I had to face everyone after what had happened to me. This sucked. "It's gonna be okay." He said. He picked me up off the bike and held me close as we entered the quiet empty cave. He led me to a familiar place, the bed. As we laid down he held me tight, as if he was afraid that I would leave. It only took me five minutes to fall asleep.

I woke up to Marko yelling in the main part of the cave. "They can't be serious!" I heard him yell. Whose they wand why can't they be serious! "Marko calm down." David said. "We can't tell them no, and we don't even know what they did to her." There was silence. "I don't want to ask her, she shouldn't have to explain." There was more momentary silence. "We have no choice Marko, we have to ask." Oh come on! "I know." Marko said quietly. I guess that was my cue. I got up and walked into the room. "I guess I'm gonna have to explain." They looked up to me. I'd never in my life seen a group of bikers, never mind vampires, look sympathetic. "Yeah." David said. "Okay." I said. Marko came over to me and brought me to a seat. "Well I was listening for the bikes, and I heard bikes, but they were the wrong ones. I walked all around the boardwalk when that leader pulled my into an alley. I tried to scream I really did." I started to cry so Marko squeezed my hand. "It's okay Bernie." David said. "Keep going." I did. "He told me that I had to go with him quietly or he would kill me, then you. I went with him. We came to a warehouse and he locked me in one of the rooms. Then he came in and beat me and…" Marko squeezed again. "He raped me. The four of them took turns." I finally got it all out with no emotion. Marko quickly stood and turned away. "I'm sorry." I said through tears, basically begging Marko not to turn away. He quickly came back to me. "No Bernie, I'm sorry, I'll always be here, I promise." Paul and Dwayne just looked shocked. "Damn it." David said. "Who can't be serious?" I asked. Marko looked at David and then back to me. "They want to come here, because of me." My breath was yanked away. "Why?" I asked. "Because I broke in to their place, they want more negotiations." I wanted to die. "They want me." I said. "Well they can't have you." David snapped. That brought me some comfort. "Don't worry Bernadette. They came on our turf and they kidnapped you. Marko only went in to get you out. They can't get anything, especially you." I felt so much better. The only thing that was really bothering me now, was the fact that I had to see them. "Well when do they want to come?" I asked. I just wanted to know so badly. "They want to come tonight." Crap. That really sucked. I nodded. "Are you scared?" Marko asked me. "A little." I answered. He hugged me tightly and led me back to the bed. "Do you want to rest a while?" I nodded. We laid on the bed.

"Marko, I can never thank you enough for getting me out of there." He put his chin on the top of my head. "I didn't get there soon enough." He said. "Marko, getting there any time would be in time." I felt him smile. "I'm just really nervous about seeing them again." I was scared and I couldn't hide it. "I know. But all of us will be there with you this time, nothing can happen." I was starting to doubt that after what had happened. But I could do nothing but trust the four men around me that really cared. I turned to face Marko. He just smiled at me and I buried my head in his chest. He smelled so good, I really missed that smell. "You know, for a while there, I didn't think I would ever do this with you again." I felt him squeeze me gently. "You can never know how truly grateful I am to be here." I added. "Yes I do." He said. I smiled, and so did he. "I love you." He said. My smile just got bigger. "I love you too, Marko." I said. Wow was I tired. He kissed my head and I was drifting off to sleep. He rubbed little circles on my back and I was asleep within minutes.

The skies were black, and so were the eyes of my attacker. His smiles echoed through me viciously. I couldn't rub off the felling of his hands all over me. The pain was unbearable. I screamed but all the people around me couldn't hear me. He pinned me down and that's when I woke up. Marko was standing over me trying to calm me. I cried and he immediately pulled me into him. He held me tightly on our spot on the bed. I didn't want to sleep anymore but the darkness eventually consumed me. I didn't dream anymore that night.

**Thanks for reading guys. Please review! The quicker I get them, the quicker I'll update. I really appreciate them, they can only help. Also if you have any suggestions, don't hesitate at all to tell me, after all, I am writing for you! :3xoxo**


	8. Back to Normal

I woke up and took at deep breath, cause I knew what was happening today. "How're you doing?" I heard Marko ask me. I shrugged. How good could I feel? I had to face my own personal Devil soon. "When is this all happening Marko?" He looked away. "In a few minutes they should be here. We have to get out there." He looked mad. Like really mad. He was squeezing his fists so tightly I saw the white on his knuckles. I touched his arm. "Marko calm down…Please." When I said please he finally softened his grip. He looked back at me and kissed my forehead. Then we stood to meet the others in the main lobby.

"Are you ready?" David asked me. I nodded, but I was scared out of my mind. Marko took my hand as some very unwanted visitors arrived to the cave. I thought I could handle it, but when I saw them, especially the leader, I lost my breath big time, I was even a little dizzy, but Marko squeezed my hand and I stayed strong. Just as I expected, the leader looked right at me. He winked. "How are you Bernadette." He asked me. "Don't speak to her." David said. I was grateful. "Just talk to me, that's why you're here." He looked away from me. It felt like the whole state of New York had been lifted from my shoulders. "Okay, well, that kid," He said pointing to Marko, "He broke into our place, and I just can't take that." That pushed me past every ounce of fear I had, and all of the extremities that came with my New York birth certificate, including the accent, came out. "You mutha fucka. He broke inta yaw place? You took me awf the streets and brawt me to the middle of noweah. He came theah to help me. To get me out of the hell you provided. You fuckin ass hole. Really, tell me cus I wanna know, how can you come heah to negotiate anyding?" I knew what got into me, and I was glad it finally did! "Mmm feisty." He said. "Listen ta this mutha fucka." I said before I lunged for him. I was restrained by Marko and Paul. It's a good thing too, because I suddenly forgot that I was dealing with vampires. That could have gotten messy. 'We'll come back at a better time." He said with a smirk before they all left. "What got into you? Holy crap!" Paul said. I had to smile. "I'm sorry, you guys never saw that side of me. I'm not proud of it." I lied, I was proud. "Nice going." David said patting me on the back and walking away from me. Marko was staring at me. "What?" I asked. He just kept staring. "What!?" I asked again. "Nothing, nothing." He said walking away slowly. I laughed out loud and punched his shoulder. He laughed too and pulled me into a playful hug. I was happy again, now I wonder how long that will last!

It a few minutes passed nine. I was thinking about Glenda. I decided that while the boys went to find "food" I would go to the house and try and see her. I wouldn't dare go in there without making sure that _he_ wasn't there. With that thought Marko came into the room. "Hey, um…while you go and do what you have to do, I'm gonna go to the house and see if I can find Glenda." He looked concerned. "I really don't think that's a good Idea Bernie. You should at least wait until I'm there, by the house I mean." I understood why he was saying that. "Marko, I have to do this, I just left her there with nothing, not even a goodbye, besides, I won't go in unless I know Coveny is not there, okay?" It took him a minute to answer. "Fine, But I'm going to that house right when were done." I smiled and nodded. Then we left the cave.

The house was so beautiful. It was white with these dark green shutters. You gotta go to the ends of Long Island to see that. We got bricks and dirty plastic siding but nothing like this house. It was so unlike the couple it consumed. They had dark secrets, violent outbursts, and heart wrenching lives. I waited across the street until I was sure that Coveny wasn't there. Ten minutes after I was waiting, Coveny came out the door, got into his car, and drove away. I saw Glenda watching out the window. I crossed the street and walked through the door. "Glenda." I said. She looked up fast. "Oh my god Bernadette! Where have you been, I was so worried." I felt bad. "Glenda he hit me, I'm sorry, but I couldn't stick around." She just kept shaking her head. "I wish I could just pick up and leave." That confused me. "Well if you want to, why don't you?" I asked her. She just looked shocked. "Well I can't he would find me." I took off my jacket and laid it on the couch next to me. "Glenda, you could die if you stay here. He's a violent alcoholic!" She stood up. "No, he's a good man. He said he would stop, he said he'd get help." I just felt so sorry for her. "Glenda, he'll kill you." I said softly. Her eyes widened as she saw headlights pull into the driveway. "Bernadette you have to hide." I didn't even realize what was going on. "Why?" I asked. "He's back, Coveny, he'll kill you, you have to leave, He won't stop saying that he'd find you and kill you." Holy crap. "GO! Hide!" She screamed. I felt suddenly helpless and I ran into the dining room, I opened the closet door and hid behind the coats. I heard him come into the house. He slammed the door shut and locked it. "Glenda what fucking excuse for a man do you have hiding here!?" All I can think is how does he know I'm here? "Coveny no ones here." She was trying to protect me. "Don't you lie to me you fucking bitch, whose jacket is this?!" He screamed. Holy shit, I left my coat on the couch. "This is a girls coat…This is that little fucking whore's coat!" Shit. "Where the fuck is she Glenda?!" Not good, not good, not good! "She's not here Coveny." It wasn't convincing. I heard the familiar sound of Flesh hitting flesh. "That's it Coveny! I'm leaving!" And that exactly what she did. She walked out the door and slammed it just like he had. She left me here alone for him to find me and kill me! "Where the fuck are you, you little bitch!" I stayed quiet as I could but he started looking. I heard him start going up stairs. "If you don't come out it will be worse." He yelled. I took his climb to the second floor as a chance to get out of there. I bolted out of the closet and ran to the front door. I had made more noise than I thought cause I heard him start for the stairs. When I went to open it it was locked. He was half way down the stairs and I didn't have time to unlock it. I ran back toward the dining room when he grabbed me roughly by the hips and threw me to the ground. "You fucking little bitch, you made Glenda leave me!" He kicked me hard in the stomach where I still had fresh bruises from the group leader. I grunted. "No I didn't!" I tried. That only made him mad. He grabbed me hair with both of his hands and yanked me up off the floor. He brought me into the kitchen and bent me over the counter. His body was pressed hard against mine. He reached for a knife as tears came to my eyes. His close distance caused me to smell the hard liquor on his breath. He pressed the knife to my back but not hard enough to pierce my skin. "Please." I said calmly, I didn't want to set him off. "There is no reason for me not to plunge this fucking knife into your fucking back!" He was gonna do it. I just kept crying. "I'm sorry." I said through tears. He laughed. "So you admit you did something wrong. You fucking whore, lets see your fucking boyfriend save you now, your mine." He moved the knife away and grabbed my hair. He threw me to the floor and kicked me once again. I screamed fully this time because the pain was just too much. I grunted as I tried to get up, but he just kicked my back and caused me to fall to the floor. "God, please." He walked slowly closer. "You don't want to die." He was cruel. "No." I said through tears. He knelt beside me and pressed the knife to my cheek. Again he did not cut me. "Well, I will kill you, you little bitch, and you boyfriend is not here to help you." I cried. I closed my eyes waiting for the stab but it never came. I opened my eyes to see David holding Coveny back. "Bernie, go to Marko." He said. I tried to move but I was in too much pain.. "David, I can't get up." I said through new tears from the pain. "Don't strain Bern." He said. "Marko." He called. He came in and saw me on the floor. "Shit." He said after he saw me. "Get her out of here Marko." Daid said. He came over to me and picked me up. I was getting dizzy, I just wanted sleep. "I got her out Marko, I got her out." The darkness was fast approaching. "Come one, were going home." I was passing out. "I got her out." I managed. Then, I was out cold.

I felt like a truck hit me when I woke up. I tried to sit up and grunted in pain. I gave up on my attempts. Marko walked into the room. "I'm so stupid." I said. How could I go to that house, I may be from New York, but I'm not made of steel. "What did you mean you got her out?" He asked me. "What?" I had no idea what he was talking about. "When I was taking you out of the house, you kept repeating 'I got her out.' What were you talking about?" Oh my god, Glenda. "Glenda, I got her to leave. He would have killed her Marko." I looked down. "He was a second away from killing me." Marko took my hand and squeezed. "I would never have let that happen." He said. "Marko, if you guys had gotten there a second later, I'd be dead." I said. He tensed at the idea. "I knew it was a bad idea for you to go there." He said. "Marko, I went there to help Glenda, I couldn't leave her cold like that. And I accomplished what I wanted to do, she left didn't she?" He looked me in the eye for a few seconds before speaking. "It wasn't worth it, and she left you there with that homicidal man." That was true. "Tell me about it." I said. I didn't really have anything to say to that.

That cave was cold. I finally was able to get myself to another room. Everybody was staring at me. "What are you looking at?" I said. I sounded a little harsher then I intended. "Bruises." Paul said. I looked away from him. Just as peace set in the other group showed up unannounced. I almost fell off my chair I was so shocked. I kept my cool and tried to stay with my attitude from the last time we all met. "Why are you here?" David said taking charge as usual. Marko looked at me but didn't dare move from his spot, it was a tense moment. "We've come to finish our discussion. I thought maybe Joe Pesci here would be nice and calm." That little ass! "Joe Pesci if from Jersey." I said. That prompted a laugh from Paul, which I appreciated. I do love the Pesci, though. "Was I wrong." He said sarcastically. "What do you want, you get no deal. Marko did nothing wrong. If you hadn't kidnapped Bernadette he never would have been there." He was so right. "I'm just not happy with that." From my chair I spoke again. "Listen ya little fuck, I'm really getting pissed awf with you. You've now come heah dree times and you got no luck any a dose times! Now I aks ya, why awe you still heah?" I said quite matter of factly. "He didn't answer me he just kept looking at me. He started slowly walking towards me everybody looked on ready to pounce if it got out of hand.. I kept it together and didn't flinch. I had the most 'fuck you' look on my face. "You've changed baby." I saw Marko Tense up. "No sweets, I didn't change, I got back ta nawmal." He frowned. I heard Paul laugh again. I just wanted to punch this guy in his face. I kept in mind though that he was a vampire and I didn't need to die. He grabbed my hair and pulled me close to his face. No one moved and David held Marko back. "Did you fuck her yet, Marko." He said allowed. Tears were threatening to fall. His harsh charge caused pain all over my body. "You bastard." I heard Marko say. I had finally been able to break away from this guy's eyes. "I'll take that as a no. You should, she feels so good. She's so tight." I let the tears fall. This was horrible torture. "She was a virgin Marko, I was her first." Why wouldn't they help me, I was so confused. "Now you can never be. She was crying you know. She begged me to stop…" Paul and Dwayne were looking at me with the most sympathetic looks on there faces I had ever seen. "She was in pain, I think I even heard her call for you, Marko." He looked furious. "Stop." I said calmly through tears. He pulled me off the chair and pressed his body hard on mine against the wall. Again no one moved. Pain shot all over, I couldn't help but grunt at it. "Please." I begged. I felt so ashamed. He gently rubbed his hand over my stomach and pulled up my shirt just a little. I tried to fall to the ground but he lifted me up. "No. no. no." He said. "You know Marko, I bet she'd be just as good now." He said. Shit! "Get away from her!' He yelled. I was helpless. "Please, let me go." I said. "Now, How about that deal boys?" He said. He was cruel. "Fine." David said. He smirked at me and kissed me roughly on the lips. As he walked away I collapsed onto the floor and brought my knees up to my chest. As he was walking away I saw the reason why no one was helping me, he had a blade in his hand, all ready to stab me. "I want to talk to Marko, that's it, and we'll leave." Everyone was confused. David looked at Marko who was looking at me. "I'll do it." Marko said. "Good, tomorrow night. Bring no one except Bernadette." He said. Marko looked at him. "I won't take her." The guy smiled. "Then, we will not go." He said. Then he looked at me, "And we'll keep going after Bernie." I looked away. Marko walked over to me and whispered in my ear. "What do you want?" Then he looked at me. "I'll do it." Marko turned and nodded at the man. "We'll see you tomorrow." Then they left. Great, another good day to look forward to!


	9. Wow! A little too familiar

I sat on the couch with every one of them looking at me. Marko was just full of concern, David, well I can never tell what David is thinking, Dwayne looked shocked, and Paul looked like he wanted to say something but the words, they wouldn't come out. The silence was making me crazy. "I can't believe this." I said. I had to break that silence before I lost my mind. Marko put his hand on my shoulder. "I mean look, they took me out of New York because they thought a family here would be safer. Well I guess that plan was moot, my foster father tried to kill me and my foster mother almost let him. Not to mention the numerous assaults and dare I say, Vampires?" I was letting a lot off my chest. "Hey were not all that bad." Paul said. I wanted to chuckle at him but I was too nervous. "It's raining outside." Marko said. It was like he was completely oblivious to the situation. "Come with me." He said before putting his hand out. I took it as him and I walked out into the damp weather.

"I'm scared." He said. I let out a nervous breath. If any one of us should be scared it should have been me. And I'll tell you what, I was scared, really scared and I wanted to tell him that! I couldn't see him scared! I wanted to yell at him. I wanted to kill him! I wanted to hit him, and scream at him, and hurt him! So I hugged him. "Me too." I said. I slid to the ground. "What do you think they want?" I asked. "Well, they said that they wanted to talk to me. But, why would they want you there?" That whole situation had been haunting me for about an hour. "There's only one answer to that Marko." He looked at me. "They want to do more than talk to you." Unfortunately I had known about these guys, more that Marko, and David, and Paul, and Dwayne. "I know." He said. We were completely defeated, or at least I thought that was how we sounded. This sucks. "So…what are we gonna so?" I didn't want to hear his answer. "Exactly what they want." Then he looked at me. We sat there for hours with out heads against the wall of the cave, waiting for certain death tomorrow.

"You ready?" Marko asked me. No. "Yeah." I answered "Hmm, let's go." He said. The cave was empty, everyone else had gone out and it was just the two of us. "The beach right?" I asked. "Yeah." We started towards the exit. We jumped on his bike and we were off to the beach.

They were waiting for us. I felt Marko tense before he got off the bike and helped me off after. "Well, well, well, Marko and Bernadette." The leader said. We walked over slowly. Marko had my hand tightly in his, they noticed. "Don't worry Marko, we don't want her…we want you." He said before two of them rushed over to us. One pulled me away from Marko and one held him back. "Stop!" Marko yelled. I was frozen in sheer terror. "Now, would you like to know what are plan is today?" We were both quiet, except when I struggled when the guy holding me started smelling my neck. "Get off her!" Marko screamed. The leader just laughed and continued with his thought. "Well Marko, were gonna beat the shit out of you while she watches." He quickly earned Marko's attention with that one. "And Visa versa" He said. Marko looked Shocked and completely furious. I looked up to the top of the boardwalk to see David and Dwayne holding Paul back. I knew why they were there. They were there because if anything got out of hand they we be down here in a second to help us. They weren't moving now though. I suppose that a beating wasn't enough for them to step in and help us, which sucked because I was in no mood for this. My attention was immediately forced to Marko as the leader hit him hard in the gut. I tried to get free, I did. I tried to go to him but I had no luck, that guy was too strong, but really what did I expect, he was a vampire. They kept attacking him with brutal force and he couldn't fight back because of the threat they posed to the both of us. When Marko was completely unable to move he came over to me and looked into my eyes. "Guys, sit him up." He said. They listened to him fast, and in no time Marko was in a forced sitting position. "Are you ready?" he asked me. I was so petrified. I was fully prepared for a blow but instead he walked away from me. "Bring her over here." He continued. As I stood in front of him and a battered Marko, he roughly grabbed my shoulders and forced me down, so my head was on Marko's lap. Shit. He got on top of me and spoke. "Marko," he said, my eyes were instantly locked to Marko's, "I'll give you a choice." He never once took his eyes off me. "Either you will fuck her, or I will." Oh my god, if there was ever a time for David to come down here, it was now. Marko looked scared, actually scared. He looked at me but he apparently took to long to answer. "Fine, I'll do it." He kissed me hard on the mouth as I heard Marko try to speak. Suddenly he was ripped off me. I watched David rip the flesh from his body as I clenched hard to Marko. I stared in amazement and fear as David viciously attacked the man. Before I knew it, one of the other groups members lunged at me, eyes orange and teeth sharp and angry, then I woke up.

I sat up with a jolt. I looked out the window to see 131st street and Hillside Avenue as busy as ever. I was back in New York. The whole thing had been a dream. Marko, David, Santa Carla, it was all in my head. As much as I had fell in love with Marko in my head, he wasn't real, and surprisingly, I sighed in relief. I walked downstairs and out the door of the girls' home I'd been in. I did what I felt like I hadn't done in months, I took the A train to the city and got an egg and cheese sandwich at Lou's Diner.

It was refreshing being in that diner. Talking to Lou made it all real for me, boy I missed him. "How ya been Louie?" I asked him. He smiled and nodded. "Pretty good Bern, and you my darling?" I smiled at him. I nodded. Louie reminded me of Ray Romano or Ralph Macchio or something. You know that guy, like that Italian New Yorker guy that everyone knows. Louie was my Italian New Yorker guy, and I loved him! He gave me the sandwich and I savored every bite. I knew then that I was getting pizza for dinner, maybe even Chinese food!

I walked out of the diner and took in the smell of the air. It was invigorating. I looked at all the faces walking along the streets and smiled. I was home, and I couldn't believe it! I had been walking for hours. I walked into Lee's and ordered some pork fried rice. Mmm. Now I could go home. I walked back to the subway and headed back to Queens.

I walked into the home and Mary, a little five year old, who I loved, ran up to me and hugged my leg. "Hi Mary." I said. She was crying. "What's wrong?" I asked her. She just ran upstairs. I shook it off and walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water. "Hi Sister Eileen." I said. She did the sign of the cross. "Bernadette, just the girl I wanted to see." She said as sweetly as honey. "What can I do for you, Sister?" I said. She pointed at the seat in front of her. "I have good news and bad." She said. "What?" I asked suspiciously. She stayed silent for a moment. "Good or bad first." I thought for a second. "Good." I said "Well, there is a sweet couple aching to adopt you!" She said. That must have been why Mary was crying. I'll tell her later that this situation wouldn't stop me from visiting. Anyway I'd be eighteen soon and I had always planned to adopt Mary when I was old enough. "Okay, what's the bad news?" she looked away from me and at her rosary beads. "They're in California." This was all to familiar. "Where?" I asked persistently. "Santa Carla, California." Okay now I was getting paranoid. "Sister, what are their names?" I asked. "Oh they're the nicest couple, I spoke with them this morning!" I was getting fidgety. "But Sister, their names?" She looked back at me with a sweet smile. "Oh, Glenda and…" I froze. "Coveny." I whispered. She looked a little shocked. "How did you know that?" She asked me. I couldn't answer her. I thought about the last thing that happened in my dream…

"Are you ready?" he asked me. I was so petrified. I was fully prepared for a blow but instead he walked away from me. "Bring her over here." He continued. As I stood in front of him and a battered Marko, he roughly grabbed my shoulders and forced me down, so my head was on Marko's lap. Shit. He got on top of me and spoke. "Marko," he said, my eyes were instantly locked to Marko's, "I'll give you a choice." He never once took his eyes off me. "Either you will fuck her, or I will." Oh my god, if there was ever a time for David to come down here, it was now. Marko looked scared, actually scared. He looked at me but he apparently took to long to answer. "Fine, I'll do it." He kissed me hard on the mouth as I heard Marko try to speak. Suddenly he was ripped off me. I watched David rip the flesh from his body as I clenched hard to Marko. I stared in amazement and fear as David viciously attacked the man. Before I knew it, one of the other groups members lunged at me, eyes orange and teeth sharp and angry."…

Only this time, what if I didn't wake up? Uh-Oh…


	10. Whip Lash

I walked upstairs to talk to Mary. I went up thinking that this was the second time I was having this conversation, but just the first time for Mary, but the second first time, do you know what I mean. Just as I arrived outside Mary's door I had A thought that sent me running to my room in search for my journal. As I opened it my suspicions were confirmed, it couldn't have been a dream because my journal was filled with pages about Santa Carla, and Marko.

I woke up the next morning and packed. I folded my clothes and placed them in the old suitcase that I had found on 80th street in Middle Village Queens. A teardrop fell from my eye as I took one last look at my room, for the second time. This really sucked, it was sad the first time and now I had to do it all over again. All the time that I had lasted in Santa Carla was taken away only to be given all over again. Mary walked in clutching her teddy bear. She was crying. "Hey Mary, you know that I'll still always come and visit you, right?" I said as I knelt down in front of her. She shook her head but that didn't make her any less sad. I had a thought, I walked over to my desk and pulled out a sealed stack of stationary and handed it to her. "You know that cotton candy spray you have?" I asked her. She nodded. "And the fruity perfume I have?" She again nodded. "Well I have an idea, why don't we write to each other, and every letter we write, we'll spray a little bit of out perfumes on it, okay?" I said with a smile. I thought it was a good idea, in fact I thought that I was stupid for not thinking of it last time I was in this situation. I gave her a big hug that she graciously returned. The airport was hot and uncomfortable. The plane ride was bumpy and long, and the ride to the house was sad and fearful. I walked in the door and was greeted by Glenda identical as last time, but I still only had one thing on my mind, finding Marko.

The boardwalk was chilly like the first night I was there, I guess that was because this was the first time I was there. I scanned the boardwalk looking for the boys and spotted the comic book store and walked right for it. The situation was Identical to the last first time…_I noticed these two kids eyeing me as I picked up a superman comic thinking of my dad, man he was a "neo maxi zoom dweeby!" Judd Nelson always delivered when I went to the movies. I put it down when the boys approached me_…Now the conversations would start…"_More new meat, Alan."_. . . Edgar said. "You guys don't remember me, right?" They stared at each other. "Should we?" Alan asked. I sighed. "I guess not." I was really depressed that I now had to redevelop our relationship, because I really valued them and they made me so much happier. "Well, what's your name?" Edgar asked me. "I'm Bernie." I said, I didn't ask them their names cause I already knew them, but they didn't know that, and I forgot I wasn't supposed to know that. "We're Alan and Edgar." They said. "I know…that those are very creative names." They didn't seem to notice my blunder. "Yeah those are our parents." Alan said pointing to these two sleeping 60s burnouts. "I'll see you guys around." I said waving goodbye. I was sadder leaving there than I was going in, and I was pretty sad. I scanned the boardwalk for the boys again and spotted them coming out of a video store and going to their bikes parked on the side. I ran over, not thinking that it could be dangerous if they didn't remember me. They all looked up but before I could let anything soak in I spoke. "Please, tell me you remember me." I said breaking down and ready to cry. "Oh my god." Marko said before he rushed over and embraced me tightly. I guess they did. "I thought you were dead." Marko said looking at me. I was confused. "I though I was home." I said. "What's going on guys, please tell me what's going on." No one spoke. "I'll explain." Every one was confused when David spoke because no one else had a clue why Time had rewound like that. We all mounted the bike and left fast due to the reason that we were all so curious about what David would say.

We walked into the cave and I sat on the couch. "Okay talk." I said to David. "Okay, you and Marko are soul mates and when someone tries to kill the vampire of him mate before they drink from each other, time will rewind." I sat their as my eyes widened. What surprised me was that it wasn't the whole time thing that made me think, it was the whole blood drinking thing. "So what happens now?" I was a little afraid to ask. "We live it out until that moment, and we save you." Now I was scared. "Save me?" I asked. "Yes, time wouldn't have rewound if you weren't gonna die." Oh great. "So it's possible that I won't die." Marko took my hand as David spoke again. "It's not only possible, it's very important that this doesn't happen." I was happy about that but still curious. "Why?" every one was confused now, I just wanted to know how David knew all of this. "Because you will both die, you and Marko." Marko squeezed my hand yet again. "Well how long do we have?" I asked him. "2 weeks and 3 days." He said. I held my head in my hands as Marko got up to take me to bed. "Come on." He said. I stood gratefully, I just wanted too sleep.

"This is crazy Marko, I mean I'm really glad that I'm here with you now, and I do love you Marko, but I thought I was home, I thought I was back in New York for good and then I had to leave all over again." He put his arm around me. "I know you did and I'm so sorry for that. But look at it this way, if this didn't happen you would be dead." I wanted to tell him that none of this would've have happened if I didn't come here, and I didn't even want to be thinking that none of this would have happened if I hadn't met him, because that was hurting me. "I know." I said. He squeezed me tightly as I fell asleep.

I walked into the main lobby to see David and Dwayne ready to leave. "What the hell did you do!?" Well I guess the leader knew about this because he just busted in with his buddies. David stepped in front of him before he could get to Marko. "Time turned, this is how it is, now, just because everyone else in the world is in this time, we've already been here and had our discussion, so you still must honor you word. Leave." David said. The leader smiled. "Do you forget that you intervened." He said. "You came between my time with Marko and Bernadette." I hated hearing him say my name. "No. You said all that you wanted to do was talk to Marko and Bernie, you attacked them, and that was it, the moment where you cheated." David said. "But here is where you're wrong David, I told them to come alone and they didn't, you were right there to stop us when you weren't supposed to be." He said. Unfortunately he was right. "But it shouldn't matter if he was there because you dishonored your side of the bargain before he did." I said meekly. "Oh no, he was there in general. Don't you get it? He told you to come alone." There had to be some way to get this situation in our hands. "What if he wasn't there to watch, what if he just happened to be there?" I asked. I had to ask, it was the only way I could think of getting the upper hand. "That wasn't what happened." He answered me. "How do you know that?" David asked, obviously intrigued with my idea. "Because I know. We'll see you around." He said as they all left. "So I guess that timed changed for them too?" I asked. I obviously knew the answer, it was more of a statement than a question anyway. "How much time do you think that bought us?" I asked. "Not much." Said David. And that was all he said, not much. That scared the hell out of me. "So, what happens now?" I asked. "I don't know." He said. I nodded and just sat confused and incredibly depressed.

Marko and I were walking along the boardwalk. "You know you have to go to your house, Ill be right outside but we have to do what we did last time we were in this time, you know what I mean?" He asked. That was kind of confusing but I did know what he was saying. "Yeah okay, let's just go." I said. Then I stopped. "Marko, is this burglars night?" I asked him, remembering that I had almost dies that night. He just looked at me sympathetically. "Everything will happen the same exact way, ill be there, but I has to happen, don't ask me, it's just the rules." I nodded as we got on his bike and went to the house. He kissed me as I walked in and did what _had_ to be done.

_ When I got to the kitchen and got a glass out of the cabinet I heard the something fall in the living room. _It was action time, okay what did I do? I went to check the noise. _I set the glass down super quietly and went to check the noise I heard in the pitch black house. There was nothing there. I walked back to the kitchen and filled up my glass with water. I leaned on the counter and drank from the glass, facing the front door. I turned to fill up my glass a second time. _Okay this was it…Three, Two, One…. _"Don't fucking move, bitch." Holy crap! _I knew it was coming but it was still scary._ I dropped the glass in the sink and it shattered. "Turn around" he said it pretty calmly, but before I could move I heard a click. When I turned to face the three intruders my fears were confirmed when I saw the gun. I lost my breath immediately. The gunman just chuckled. "Come here." He had no personality to his voice but I obliged. He led me to the living room with his hand in the small of my back. Uncomfortable much? We stopped in front of the safe in the living room. "Open it." He said. What? "What?" I said. He grabbed me by the hair and forced me down to my knees. "Open the fucking safe." He said with the same lifelessness as before. "I…I don't know the combination." I said. "BITCH, OPEN IT!" this was the first emotion he showed, too bad it was so negative. "I'm telling the truth." I said softly. "WHAT?" he yelled. "I'm telling the truth, I don't know it." I sad it just a tad louder. He didn't say anything he just kicked me hard in the ribs. I fell to the ground and clenched my side. "I'll fucking kill…" Someone else just came in the room, "Get away from her." _Thank god It was Marko, I thought he forgot about me!_ "What a stupid kid, to bad he has to die." I heard the gun click again, but no shot. They just ran out of the house_..."Okay Marko, can we please get out of here?" I asked him, sounding so weak. "Yeah." He said as he picked me up bridal style. Before I knew it, we were back at the cave.

As we laid in the bed, I thought Marko was asleep but he spoke. "You have to wake up early tomorrow and go to the house, it's what you did last time." He said, I tried to remember what happened last time, but it would all be a huge surprise in the morning because I just couldn't remember. "Okay." I said and I fell asleep.

It was early and I was scared. I hated not knowing what was gonna happen, but I got up and got dressed and left.

I was outside the house, alright, here it goes…

_I walked in the house to Glenda with a scared look on her face. I realized that she was scared for me instead of about my location all night when her raging husband stormed into the room. I smelled the alcohol on his breath the minute he got in my face and started yelling. "How the fuck did my lamp break? And why was there broken glass in the sink!" Wow he was really drunk and it was so early. "I..." he wouldn't let me finish. "And where were you all night you fucking whore." I was so taken back by this. When I looked over at Glenda, this ass hole slapped me right in the face. It knocked me right off my feet. That really hurt too. He left the room and Glenda followed after a silent sorrowful whisper to me. I wiped the tears from my face and went up to my room. I laid in my bed and put my head in my pillow. All I could think about was how ready I was to just leave the house again and meet Marko and the other boys at the boardwalk. Unfortunately I had to wait until tonight like I'd promised Marko. Eventually, thank god, my thoughts put me to sleep and that put a temporary stop to the stinging on my face from the unnecessary slap given to me by dear old' dad._

_Glenda woke me up about an hour after I fell asleep. I sat up to hear what she had to say just so I could go back to bed. "I'm so sorry about that Bernadette." She seemed really upset. I remembered this. "Glenda, has he ever hit you." I already knew the answer but I still had to ask. "Yes." She confirmed his abusiveness. "He only gets like that when he's drunk, though." Wow what a great excuse. "Later, he won't even remember." I nodded at her, I had heard all this before. "Really sweetheart, I'm sure he won't do it again." Hah yeah he will! I couldn't even look at her the same knowing that she was gonna leave me to die in a few days. She hugged me and left the room. I laid my head back down on my pillow. Great, a smacker, the cherry to the top of a magnificent new life. I fell back to sleep wishing I was still with Marko._

_8:30. I was supposed to meet Marko at 9. I went to the door to leave when Coveny walked up behind me. "Where are you going?" I stayed facing the door. "Out." I said, I didn't even wait for his answer, I just walked out the door and ran to the boardwalk. I saw Marko and the boys and ran to them._

"I forgot how much I hated him." I said, they all knew that I was talking about Coveny. "Yeah I know." Marko said as he put his hand on my back. I spotted the Comic book store and remembered the Frogs that I hadn't seen in a while. "Hey, I have to do something guys." I said breaking away and running into the store.

I looked all around for the Frogs. I suddenly heard a voice behind me. "Hello memory loss girl." Edgar said to me. "Hi, I just wanted to come in here and apologize, I must have sounded crazy the other night." He smirked. "We like crazy here." He lightly hit my shoulder. "And we like you, you're not too bad." He said. I Smiled. "Great, well, I'm gonna go now, just wanted to clear that up. I'll see you around." I waved and started to leave. _I felt something hit my back. I turned around to see a baby blue comic book hit the ground; I bent to pick it up. Vampires Everywhere, _Oh I remember this! _"It's on us. Watch out for the vamps." Edgar yelled. _Ahh, to be back in their good graces. "Thanks guys." I yelled and ran back to meet the guys.


	11. Is This Real? Wait, What is this?

I walked towards the boys on the boardwalk, and this time I didn't even bother to cover my face, they already knew. Paul just staired at me. "That seemed smaller last time." was all he said. I suddenly felt self conscience, now everyone was looking at me. "They know what happenes next, so do we really have to meet them on the beach now?" I asked changing the subject. Marko put his arm around me looking towards David, waiting, and hoping for the same answer I was. After a moment of silence he finally spoke, "No, I guess we dont." His smile was comforting, but the relief I felt was incredible.

It felt good to be back in that room with Marko. "Has this ever happened before?" I asked him. He shook his head. "Never." I didn't know what to say to that, I mean i'm just some random kid from New York, I wasn't prepared for this. "By the way don't get comfortable, tonight is the night you go back for your Diary." There it was, I knew this night was too perfect...

_The house was completely engulfed by darkness, _I had Once though it to be empty, now I only anticipated the pain to come._ "I'll be right back." I looked back at him on my way up to the door. When I pushed it opened right away. _That should have been my first warning that I was NOT alone._ I ran right up to my room and searched all over the place for my diary. It was no where to be found. Then I smelled it, liquor. Coveny. I didn't even have time to turn around, _last time, Now I knew before I even smelled the smell, I knew before I even got out of the car._ "Are you looking for this?" He obviously had my diary, _I forgot that_. I felt his breath though my think hair and his voice was so close, he was right behind me. My heart felt as thought it would pound right through my chest _and I knew what was gonna happen this time!_ "MARKO!" I yelled suddenly as screeching and as loud as I could. Coveny's hand pressed quickly on my mouth. He pushed me roughly to the ground. I felt a little dizzy. "You filthy whore, is he who you've been writing about in your fucking diary?" He ended that sentence with a brutal kick to my ribs. "Stop, please." I tried, I didn't have much energy after that kick so my pleads were too weak. "You're a filthy fucking cheap whore, I'd spend cheap bills on girls like you!" he kicked me again. "Marko." I tried, it was just too weak. He bent down and viciously grabbed my face to face his; he punched my cheek so hard I thought I was going to die. Marko finally came into the room and hit Coveny over the head with his own bottle which he dropped in his attack on me. He wasn't dead, just passed out. Marko had a complicated mixture of anger and hurt in his eyes as he bent over to heal me. I stopped him, _just like last time_ quietly and weakly, but I stopped him. "Marko, please not here, just take me out of this place." He tried to argue "Bernie if I don't do this now, I'm not sure if it will work later." I looked into his eyes and pleaded, "Marko, please." I felt like the dirty whore Coveny said I was pleading in that way. Then, stunningly, a tear from Marko's face hit mine, if tears weren't already falling from me they would have started then. He picked me up and got me out of that fucking house._

I wasnt looking forward to the stunned and sympathetic faces of the boys inside. "Marko wait." I said grabbing his arm right before we entered. "What the matter?" He asked me. I didn't know what I was gonna say to him, all I knew was that I didn't want to go in there. I guess the truth couldn't hurt...that bad. "I just dont want to go in there right now. The three of them will just drop there jaws and i don't feel like blushing tonight." Okay, you wanna go somewhere?" He asked me. I thought for a moment before nodding my head in agreement.

The Boardwalk was the usual living lightbulb it always was. The breeze was fresh and calming, much needed after the last few days. "Why can't this just end?" I asked. I was so tired of being so scared to walk around a corner. "Its almost over." He said stairing out into the ocean infront of him, with his arm tightly clasped around my waist. "What if you cant save me?" I asked him. Really though, what if they couldn't my only fucking option was dying? Im too young for that, I don't care how cliche it sounds. "What are you talking about?" Marko asked me. What am I talking about? What is he talking about! "Im talking about what if the mother fuckers stick their god damn teeth inside my fucking skin, and fucking kill me! What if you can't stop that from happening? And honestly, whats stopping me from running, going back to New York on my own?" He pulled his arm away from me, That wasn't good and I suddenly felt unsafe. "You don't trust me?" He asked. I began to feel the guilt I knew i'd feel, if the roles were reversed I guess i'd be upset too. "If you dont trust me, then run, get yourself fucking killed." he said before walking away. I was in shock and it was like my feet were glued to that spot. "Marko." I tried weakly, it just came out of the blue. After everything we've been through the dirty bastard actually left me there! I should kill myself right now just to spite him! Then I began to fear actually losing him. Was he done with me? What was I supposed to do now, Go back to Glenda and Coveny? Like that was gonna fucking happen. After five minutes it was clear that he wasn't coming back, and I decided the dark secluded spot on the boardwalk wasn't the place for me to stand, so I began walking.

It was cool that the boardwalk was still so thriving so late. It was like Manhattan with flip flops. I saw a man fallowing me, he was too far away for me to see his face, and thats when I came up to the comic book store. Edgar and Alan were right inside, just where they always were. I wondered if they ever slept? Anyway, this seemed to be a good a time as ever... "Hey new girl!" Edgar said. I smiled, it was a beautiful thing. "What's up guys?" I looked over my shoulder and onto the busy boardwalk to see if I could spot the man, he was no where to be found. "Nothing really, just tending to the store." He answered. "As usual." Alan chimed in. "So," he continued, "notice any strange activity here in Santa Carla yet?" I smiled. "I guess you could say that." I answered smiling to myself. "So, do you guys ever close?" I smiled, expecting a _Yes, its just late tonight because its Saturday_, Instead, this is what he said..."We're 24 hours every 48 hours." I looked at Edgar in shock. "So what your telling me is out of every 72 hours, you spend 24 hourse straight awake, and you spent the other 48, what, napping?" I asked, I was getting a bit confused. "As sleep is essential, and every 48 hours we dont sleep for 24 hours, we look to sleep about 20, 21 hours within that 48 hours." My mind is officially flubber... "Oh." I said. we all cracked up, I actually forgot about Marko for a second. I threw a quick look outside again, it seemed clear so I said goodbye to the guys and headed for the door. The minute I walked out the door, I was bombarded by someone with strong hands. Who ever this was whipped me around the building, smashing my back on it painfully hard, which is why I was surprised when I looked up and saw Marko's face. "What the fuck are you doing!" I was pissed. No one does that to me! "Thery're here." Marko said looking intently at the action on the boardwalk. "What." I was monotoned. "If they get too close they're gonna smell you, and my bike is all the way on the other side of the boardwalk." I began to feel sick, and I had no warning of the tears now falling down my face as if my eyes were open faucettes. Marko's bruising grip on my arms didn't help that either. What ever was scarring him so badly passed because without even looking at me, he dragged me over to his bike. He got on first, and looked back at me. "What are you doing?" He asked. "You fucking left me there Marko, you left me there." I said walking away. I knew where the cave was and decided i'd walk there my self after a few hours on the boardwalk.

I no longer cared about what everyone was gonna say in the cave. I was just so mad at myself for getting into the kind of trouble that gave me no other option but to put my life in the protection of four boys. I went into the dark bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror, i pulled off my sweater revealing the large bruises on my arm from Marko's hands. I can't believe what I'm looking at, my boyfriend did this to me. "Was that from your foster father?" I was startled and rushed to put my sweater back on. When I turned I was face to face with David. I didn't know what to say to him. What would happen if I said Marko, maybe I should just say that it was Marko, Its not like he did it on purpose I guess. "Its almost over." I guess he assumed it was Coveny. But really, how many times was I gonna have to hear 'Its gonna be okay'? I smiled at him, "Thanks David." I said, the tears again threatening to fall. He hugged me, and I was greatful that he cared, cause I might have lost Marko tonight.

I walked into the bedroom, Marko was already sitting on the bed, reading something. It was earily quiet whick I broke, "So, what are we now." He didn't look up but he closed the book and shut his eyes, he was thinking about something. "I love you." He said looking up at me. His eyes were red. "Im sorry." He said. I nodded. "I know." I insured him. "So, I can stay with you tonight?" He smiled and pulled the blanket out of my way. I took off my sweater forgetting about the mess underneath it. His face became whit as he looked at the hand shaped bruises on my arm. "I didn't see those last time you were at Coveny's." He was confused. He had to know he did this? "That's because there from you." I felt sick saying it. I looked away ashamed. he came over to me and gently stroked the tender wrecked skin. "What are you talking about?" He asked. Now I was confused. "On the boardwalk when I walked out of the store, you pulled me and pushed me to the otherside of the building..." He just staired at me..."You said that 'They were here' and that if 'they' got too close, they'd be able to smell me." His face dropped. "Bernie, that wasn't me." he said stairing at my shoulders. "Well then who was it." My voice becoming distant and nerve wrecked. "Come with me for a minute." He sid stanting and walking into the foyer. "David!" He yelled. he yelled one more time before he came inside, Dwayne and Paul close behind him. "Show him Bernie." I looked at him then at Davin then at the floor. "He already saw." I said sounding ashamed. "What?" David asked. "The bruises on her arms, She thought they were from me, but they weren't. Can they shape shoft David?" Aparently it was something that was said, but never seen. Well I guess no one would notice anyway. "I don't know." David said looking at me. "Someone tried to hurt you, looking like him?" David asked. "No not really, well I guess later they would have, but the did try to get me on a Bike, i guess he wasn't bringing me back here." I said. "Well thank god your okay." David said, then he looked at Marko. "Any maybe next time you won't be so careless with her Marko, theres a lot at stake." He finished. Marko took me by the hand and led me back into the room. "You know Bernie, I was watching you, I came back for you, but I couldn't find you anywhere. I came back here to see if you were back, and when you weren't I was on my way back out, then I saw you coming. I figured I was the last face you wanted to see and just went to bed." I was shocked, but relieved he still cared. "Oh Marko." I said before hugging him. We fell asleep that night, both with regrets and painful sorrow for how we treated eachother.


	12. It's on Now, do I have to be there?

Since the moment I woke up today, there was one thing on my mind. Today is the day Coveny almost kills me. It raced through my head like a shooting star, only I knew my wish couldn't come true. I laid quietly, content that Marko was still asleep, only because he would make me go. It wasn't like he wanted to, but it had to happen, everything had to be as it was, it had to all happen the same way. Fuck. My nerves are shot, I can't do this anymore. By the luck of the draw I meet vampires. I love Marko so much it hurts, my heart aches with a burning pain when I think of losing him, but if I had the option to go back to Queens, and forget all of this, part of me wishes that I'd want to. When he started to stir, so did the butterflies in my stomach. I felt my nerves tingle as he opened his eyes and smiled at me, A smile that quickly faded as he turned his head away and spoke. "I guess you already know what today is." He assumed. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about it." He looked back at me. "Well don't worry, we show, we get you out, and then its over." He was trying to comfort me. "Yeah I know that but i'm not looking forword to the beating. Like, at all." I stated. "Well, who would be?" He answered. "Let's go into the living room." He suggested as he began getting up. I followed him into the other room, filled with the other three boys in whose hands my life lied.

"Hey Bern." Paul spoke. "Hi." I answered weakly. David was thinking intently, it was clear by the stern look on his face. Dwayne was snoozing on the big technocolored couch. "We have to be at the house at exactly 11:45." Aparently everyone remembered what today was. Then David looked at me. "We won't be late." He said with a smile. I couldn't smile, all I could do was think about being killed, I mean really, they made it just in time. "When do I have to do this?" I asked him. I knew it was late, but I didnt know what time it was now! "Um..." He started, "About 10 minutes." I felt my heart stop, then I got pissed off when I felt it start up again, cause i just didn't want to go, I had a bad feeling. I had no choice so I stood and we left.

_The house was so beautiful. It was white with these dark green shutters. You gotta go to the ends of Long Island to see that. We got bricks and dirty plastic siding but nothing like this house. It was so unlike the couple it consumed. They had dark secrets, violent outbursts, and heart wrenching lives. I waited across the street until I was sure that Coveny wasn't there, _just like last time._ Ten minutes after I was waiting, Coveny came out the door, got into his car, and drove away. I saw Glenda watching out the window. I crossed the street and walked through the door. "Glenda." I said. She looked up fast. "Oh my god Bernadette! Where have you been, I was so worried." I felt bad. _but not after I remembered that she just left me._ "Glenda he hit me, I'm sorry, but I couldn't stick around." She just kept shaking her head. "I wish I could just pick up and leave." That confused me. "Well if you want to, why don't you?" I asked her. She just looked shocked. "Well I can't he would find me." I took off my jacket and laid it on the couch next to me. _I totally forgot that that was how he knew I was there, but it wouldn't have mattered if I did remember because I had to leave it there anyway, _Everything must be the same. "Glenda, you could die if you stay here. He's a violent alcoholic!" She stood up. "No, he's a good man. He said he would stop, he said he'd get help." I just felt so sorry for her. "Glenda, he'll kill you." I said softly. Her eyes widened as she saw headlights pull into the driveway. "Bernadette you have to hide." I didn't even realize what was going on. "Why?" I asked. "He's back, Coveny, he'll kill you, you have to leave, He won't stop saying that he'd find you and kill you." Holy crap. "GO! Hide!" She screamed. I felt suddenly helpless and I ran into the dining room, I opened the closet door and hid behind the coats. I heard him come into the house. He slammed the door shut and locked it. "Glenda what fucking excuse for a man do you have hiding here!" All I can think is how does he know I'm here? "Coveny no ones here." She was trying to protect me. "Don't you lie to me you fucking bitch, whose jacket is this?" He screamed. Holy shit, I left my coat on the couch. "This is a girls coat…This is that little fucking whore's coat!" Shit. "Where the fuck is she Glenda?" Not good, not good, not good! _I hope the boys are here!_"She's not here Coveny." It wasn't convincing. I heard the familiar sound of Flesh hitting flesh. "That's it Coveny! I'm leaving!" And that exactly what she did. She walked out the door and slammed it just like he had. She left me here alone for him to find me and kill me! "Where the fuck are you, you little bitch!" I stayed quiet as I could but he started looking. I heard him start going up stairs. "If you don't come out it will be worse." He yelled. I took his climb to the second floor as a chance to get out of there. I bolted out of the closet and ran to the front door. I had made more noise than I thought cause I heard him start for the stairs. When I went to open it it was locked. He was half way down the stairs and I didn't have time to unlock it. I ran back toward the dining room when he grabbed me roughly by the hips and threw me to the ground. "You fucking little bitch, you made Glenda leave me!" He kicked me hard in the stomach _Where were the boys!_ I grunted. "No I didn't!" I tried. That only made him mad. He grabbed me hair with both of his hands and yanked me up off the floor. He brought me into the kitchen and bent me over the counter. His body was pressed hard against mine. He reached for a knife as tears came to my eyes. His close distance caused me to smell the hard liquor on his breath. He pressed the knife to my back but not hard enough to pierce my skin. "Please." I said calmly, I didn't want to set him off. "There is no reason for me not to plunge this fucking knife into your fucking back!" He was gonna do it. I just kept crying. "I'm sorry." I said through tears. He laughed. "So you admit you did something wrong. You fucking whore, lets see your fucking boyfriend save you now, your mine." He moved the knife away and grabbed my hair. He threw me to the floor and kicked me once again. I screamed fully this time because the pain was just too much. I grunted as I tried to get up, but he just kicked my back and caused me to fall to the floor. "God, please." He walked slowly closer. "You don't want to die." He was cruel. "No." I said through tears. He knelt beside me and pressed the knife to my cheek. Again he did not cut me. "Well, I will kill you, you little bitch, and you boyfriend is not here to help you." I cried. _This time, I didn't get saved, they didn't make it in the knick of time, I began to see white as I felt the sharp pain of his knife plunging into my back.

As the white got brighter, I began to see a figure coming towards me. I was frightened at first untill it got closer, she got closer. "Nanny?" Tears began to fall from my tired eyes. "Hello baby." She answered. She was my grandmother and she died when I was 15. She was my best friend. "Nanny, I...I can't believe your here right now." She smiled at me. "I've been watching over you, and stop getting so close to that boy!" I laughed, just like my religious Nanny to say. "Nanny, whats happening right now?" I was scared, was I dead? "Well, you could be coming with me, but it's not you time." She said. "What are you talking about?" I asked her. "I love you." She said, she never said that, I always had to make her up untill the end. And as the white turned back into the kitchen, Nanny began dissapearing. I cried, I didn't want to let her go. There was so much I wanted to tell her, like, Sometimes I wonder what I would do if you were to walk through the door. What would it feel like to see you in person? Would I be afraid to talk to you because its been so long? Would our conversations be the same? What would I say to you? I always pray that I could have a dream about you just to have the sensation of talking to you and being near you. When you left this world you took a huge part of me with you. Its killing me that I can never talk to you again or look at you again, or hug you ever again. It's supposed to get easier, right? I can't believe I have to live my life without you. People who have died are never viewed the way they should be by people who didn't know them, but i'll change that. You won't just be a story, Nanny. I'll show my kids the life changing person you really are, and you'll influence them the way that you've influenced me. Which, to say the least, is tremendously. I still cry every single night. I never tell anyone, but I do. I couldn't begin to explain what I'd give up to have a day, or even a minute with you. You were one of the greatest people in my life. You taught me so much without even knowing it. You were more than a grandmother to me, you were my best friend. I love you, Nanny. But she dissapeared before I got the chance.

I felt the warmth force its way into my body, When i opened my teary eyes I saw Marko standing over me, his eyes puffy and wet. He pulled me up into his arms squeezing me tightly. He had just healed me, I guess I had died. "Im so sorry, im so sorry." He kept repeating as he rocked me back and forth. The shock of the entire situation made me dizzy, my head felt like it weighed 200 pounds. I wanted nothing more than to sleep, and thats just what I did, I was out like a light in Marko's arms.

I woke in the same bed I had woken in so many times before. I was just happy to wake at all. I stood and walked over to the mirror, I just looked so different. I wasn't the same person I was in New York. Despite anything that happened to me there, I was happy. I had people, I had a life, a routine for God's sake! Here, I don't know, i'll be the first to tell you that a little disorder is required, but this is just too much. New York had just the right about of disorder. I listened to the conversations out in the living room. I heard the voice that, for the last few days, I had only heard in my dreams, Or my nightmares I should say. The other group. I hesitantly walked towards the room, not sure if I should walk out among them all. I certainly didn't want to, so I decided to wait and listen. They were talking about the meeting Marko and I were to have with them soon, perhaps the last meeting I would ever have in my life with anyone ever! They wanted it to be tonight! I wasn't up to this, and to my surprise, David said yes! I can't imagin why we were even tolerating this, but I didn't know their life or anything about how they negotiated, so I had to accept what came to me. What A mess this was. I was just a god damn orphan! And look what the fuck happened. Some free advice, make friends with your aunts and uncles boys a girls. I turned to get back in the bed when I was stopped in my tracks, one of the other gang stood before me. I was in shock, scard beyond belief. He just stood their, stairing, smiling. "Were you coming back to bed?" he asked tauntingly. How long was he standing there? I started to back up towards the living room, but he was upon me before i knew it, before I could scream, before I could get help. He covered my mouth with his hand and he forced me around so I could see in the living room. My heart was beating so fast it almost felt steady. He wanted me to listen to their conversation. "You see how much they care about you, right away their ready to send you back out to be killed." I couldnt stop the tears, I didn't wan to believe him but my mind wandered anyway. "I think Marko wants you to die, let a huge weight off his shoulders, all of their shoulders." I hate this guy. "You smell really nice." He said. I knew where this was going and I was not having it. I'd been through this so much. So, as I felt him smell my hair and brush his hand against me, I kicked on the door as hard as I could. It flew open and the two of us were exposed to the entire room. It didnt look good for him. He was holding me tightly with one hand over my whouth, meanwhile Dwayne, David, Paul, and Marko were all standing right there. He let me go right away and I ran to Marko who looked like he was ready to kill that guy, instead he just held me protectively, i felt safe. "Ahh Bernie, welcom to our little disscussion." The leader said. I looked at him right in the eye, all I could see were violent flashbacks of everything he had done to me, and I was mad. I hated that I let myself be so weak out here. California drained all the fight out of me, no one was ever a challenge for me. I was wiped out. I buried my teary face into Marko's chest, and his hand migrated to my head, which he cradled gently as the conversation continued. "What time are we doing this?" David asked. I didnt even want to listen. "Two hours, We'll meet in two hours." The leader said with a smile. I wanted to kill him, but that was one fight I would never win. With that they all walked out. "Well," I started, "I really missed my special friends." Paul put a hand on my shoulder as we moved to the couch.

Marko and I had spent some time alone together before we had to go. We laid in that bed stairing blankly knowing there was just ten minutes before we had to leave. "I wish you would just come with me, I wish we could just run to New York. I think you'd really like it." I wish that could happen so badly. "Maybe one day Bern." He was playing with my hair and holding my hand on his chest. This was just so scary. We heard Davin call from inside and reluctantly stood to meet them.

The beach was chille. I was shivering, more from fear then from the chill. I stood between Paul and david, tightly tangled in Marko's arms. "So what exactly is the plan here guys?" I asked. "Well, we fight, hopefully it's us who come out alive."


	13. Author's Note

Hey you guys! I want to thank XxXxEMILYxXxX, kittykat6625, crimsonsky123, Joy Dodd, and Sunlitmercy for your reviews. I really live for those. I wanted to just give you guys a quick shoutout and let you know that I really appreciate it. Im not leaving out my other reviewers, I'm just mentioning those who have commented since i've been back. Now to all my readers, the reason for this Author's Note, I wanted to know where you wanted me to go with the next chapter? I would really appreaciate it if you could just leave a comment (review) with your ideas. Ill mention you at the end of chapter 13 if I use yours:) Thanks guys!

Love Lacey E3


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